Digimon Tamers: The Next Generation
by LongLiveTheSovereign
Summary: An alternate ending to Digimon Tamers, Takato's son, Tomoya and his friends embark on a digital journey without knowing of the things their parents did back in the day.
1. A Day That Had Begun Like Any Other

A/N: This story will be an alternate ending to Digimon Tamers, where Takato and the others never reunited with their Digimon partners in the last episode, "Such Sweet Sorrow" (therefore, the events that transpired in the movie "Runaway Locomon" never occurred.) Taking place twenty years after the defeat of the D-Reaper, I present to you _Digimon Tamers: The Next Generation_!

* * *

"Bull's-eye, baby! Wizardmon Digivolve to Mistymon, which makes you history!" 12-year old Tomoya Matsuki, son of Takato and Jeri Matsuki, was playing the Digimon Card game with his best friend, 12-year old Nathan Sugimori in the same playground his father used to. Tomoya looked a lot like his father when he was twelve, but he had his mother's hair color. He was dressed in a crimson red shirt and blue jeans, and he was wearing his father's goggles, which were given to him a long time ago.

"No way! That was like, something I would do! How'd you think of that?" Nathan shouted. Nathan had short orange hair and green eyes, and he wore a light blue shirt and khaki shorts.

"Maybe because my cousin's a lot smarter than you?" Tomoya's 16-year old cousin, Dalton Urazoe said with a yawn before lying down, looking up at the sky. He looked almost exactly like his father, Kai, except he had the hair color of his mother, Minami. He was wearing an unbuttoned yellow shirt, a white shirt underneath it, blue jeans, and sunglasses.

"There's no way that can be true! I want a rematch, Tomoya!" Nathan shouted.

"No problem; I just hope you're ready to lose next time, Nate," Tomoya said jokingly.

"What on earth are you talking about? Of the over two-hundred games we've played together, this is only your tenth victory! And you get madder than I do when you lose!" Nate said, stacking up his collection of Digimon cards.

"For once, Nathan makes a good point," a girl said from behind them.

"Hey, Emerilla!" Nathan said happily, motioning for her to join them. The 16-year old daughter of Ryo and Rika rolled her eyes, but walked up to them anyway.

"Have you managed to beat him yet?" Emerilla asked Tomoya.

"Yeah, you just missed it! I Digivolved Wizardmon to Mistymon and caught him totally by surprise!" Tomoya said excitedly.

"That was first victory over me in about two years. You're getting better, I suppose, but you'll never be better than me!"

"I hate people who brag a lot!" Emerilla said in a haughty tone of voice.

"Speak for yourself! You're so arrogant, that you'll brag about bragging more than others," Dalton said, sitting up.

"How long have you been awake?" Emerilla asked him.

"Long before you got here."

"Congratulations, you've just set yourself a new record! You must be very proud," Emerilla said mockingly. Dalton smiled a bit before yawning again and lying back down.

"Yeah, pretty proud, actually…not as proud as you are of yourself, of course…" Dalton said sleepily.

"Why shouldn't I be proud of myself? I'm the best at everything!" Tomoya rolled his eyes and took a quick look at Nate, who looked completely mesmerized upon the arrival of Emerilla Akiyama, and it was not too hard to imagine why. Emerilla looked exactly like her mother, Rika, except she wore her hair down long. She was dressed in a black skirt that was up higher than her knees, and a short black shirt that exposed her rather well-toned midriff and pierced navel. Among all of their friends, it was quite obvious Nate had a crush on Emerilla and, despite the constant rejections and physical abuse (Rika taught people, mostly women, to fight and defend themselves, and taught Emerilla a few things as well, which she often experiments with on Nate and Tomoya), Nate was never discouraged and, when not attempting to flirt with other attractive women or playing the Digimon card game with his friends, could often be found attempting to flirt with Emerilla (and always failing, usually resulting in him getting injured.)

"Hi, everybody! Sorry we're late!" Another girl said, running up to Tomoya and the others, followed by a girl and a boy.

"Hi, Mia. What took you so long _this_ time?" Nate asked.

"I don't know what came over me; we were at the mall, and the next thing I knew, I had bought more shoes than I could carry!" 12-year old Mia Tsumura said. She had long brown hair and green eyes, and she was dressed in a black t-shirt and extremely short blue shorts. Nobody noticed the slight shade of red on Tomoya's face when she arrived.

"I swear, Mia, you're more obsessed with buying more shoes than you need than every girl in my class combined!" the boy behind Mia, 8-year old Theo Arakawa, said. He had short black hair and blue glasses, and he wore a blue shirt and brown shorts.

"Oh, like you're one to talk, Theo! You're so greedy that you actually took candy from a baby once!" Nate said.

"It's not stealing unless you get caught," Theo said calmly. Everybody in the group laughed, except for Dalton, who was sound asleep, and the girl standing behind Mia, 12-year old Lilac Wong, daughter of Henry and Alice, who only made a small smile. Looking exactly like her mother down to the same taste in Gothic Lolita style of clothing, Lilac was a very shy girl who was afraid to speak her own mind.

"Uh, guys?" Mia asked quietly. "I think that same old man followed us here again!" all of them looked to where Mia was looking, and saw the same old man wearing the yellow jacket standing in the same place they saw him every day, staring back at them. Even Dalton woke up.

"What do you think he wants?" Nate asked.

"Everyone, stand back; I'll take care of him!" Emerilla said, standing up and cracking her knuckles as the old man began to walk toward them.

"Emerilla, he's just an old man. Probably wants some money or something," Dalton said lazily, reaching into his pockets to see if he had any.

"Well, he's not getting any of _my_ money!" Theo said, clutching his pockets protectively.

"Relax, I don't want or need any money from you guys," the old man chuckled.

"Who are you? And what do you want from us?" Tomoya asked.

"My name is Mr. Mizuno, but you can just call me Shibumi."

* * *

A/N: I hope I did a good job explaining these characters of mine; I know I didn't really do that in _Chronicles of Bokomon_, but people seemed to like the story anyway, so I'm sure people will like this one too (I hope.) Hope that was enough of an attention-getter with Shibumi showing up!


	2. Onward to the Digital World

A/N: Many thanks to all the people who liked/followed/etc. me and/or my story :) (I'd thank you all individually, but I'm too lazy to do that…kind of like Dalton XP) Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter, and every chapter to come!

* * *

"Who are you? And what do you want from us?" Tomoya asked.

"My name is Mr. Mizuno, but you can just call me Shibumi," the old man said with a smile.

"What do you want from us?" Emerilla asked in an annoyed tone of voice.

"Well, I kept seeing all of you playing the Digimon card game, and I couldn't help but get a bit nostalgic," Shibumi said.

"Nostalgic? You mean, they had Digimon since _you_ were a kid?" Tomoya asked.

"I guess you could say that. I was part of the team that made the Digimon called the Monster Makers, way back when I was in college."

"Oh, please; anyone could claim to be part of the Monster Makers! Do you have any proof?" Emerilla asked.

"No, not really…"

"I thought so! Come on, everyone; let's go," Emerilla shouted, walking away.

"There's another reason you're here, isn't there," Theo asked softly.

"You're quite the perceptive young man, aren't you?"

"What do you want from us?" Nate asked.

"The Digital World is in danger, and it needs help from the seven of you to protect it." Everyone stared blankly at him, even Dalton and Emerilla.

"T-the Digital World?" Nate asked.

"You've got to be mistaken," Tomoya said. "The Digital World is only real in the TV show and the video games and-"

"Tomoya, don't waste your breath on this old coot!" Emerilla said, walking back to the group. "He's obviously senile! The Digital World is not real! It is impossible to get there!"

"True; under normal circumstances, the average human cannot get to the Digital World," Shibumi said, reaching into his coat pocket. "But the seven of you aren't average." Shibumi pulled his hand out, and in it was a red Digivice. "I'm sure you all know what this is."

"A…Digivice?" Tomoya asked, staring in disbelief. Unbeknownst to him or the others, the Digivice looked exactly the same as the ones their parents had, except it was mostly a deep crimson red with a white circle, buttons, and strap. "You mean that…the seven of us are all Digidestined or something?"

"How do you know that it's us?" Mia asked. "Are you sure you're not mistaking us for some other kids?"

Shibumi sighed, but was still smiling. "I didn't pick the seven of you at random; there's a reason all of you were picked, but I'm afraid I don't know why."

"I'm sorry, but I'm really not buying your story," Nate said, then stood up to walk away, soon followed by the others.

"I believe him." Everyone turned around to see that Lilac had not gotten up to leave with the rest of them.

"You believe him? What are you talking about? You don't even know him!" Emerilla shouted.

"Shibumi…I've heard my dad say your name a few times," Lilac continued in a quiet voice, ignoring Emerilla.

"You're Henry's daughter, right?" Shibumi asked, and Lilac nodded slowly. "I was a good friend of his father, way back in the day…"

"Mr. Shibumi, I'd like it if you were telling the truth about us being Digidestined, but…" Tomoya began.

"It's just so unbelievable," Theo said. "One minute, we're all playing the Digimon card game, and the next we're being told we're trying to save the entire Digital World?"

"I understand that you must all be very confused, but I promise you, this is really happening; it's not some dream," Shibumi said softly.

"If we do decide to believe you…that means we're going to the Digital World, right?" Nate asked.

"Yes, and you will all get a Digimon partner of your own, too."

"Well, I've seen the TV show enough times to know that, if this is all real, we should all be taking this seriously," Tomoya said. "That Digivice, who does it belong to?"

"This Digivice belongs to you, Tomoya Matsuki. You will be the first one to receive a Digimon partner," Shibumi said, handing the Digivice to Tomoya, which immediately began to glow intensely.

"Yes…this is no dream…we are all Digidestined," Tomoya said. "And it's up to us to protect the Digital World!" everyone nodded in agreement, except for Emerilla, who still looked as though she didn't believe any of this was real. "How do we get to the Digital World?"

"Use this," Shibumi said, reaching into his coat pocket again, this time pulling out what looked like a yellow card. "Slide this card down this little slot on the right side of your Digivice," Shibumi pointed to Tomoya's Digivice. "This will create a portal that will lead to the Digital World, where you will meet your Digimon partner, and, undoubtedly, there will be some evil Digimon there too. When you're ready to leave, slide the card through your Digivice again, only this time, slide it up."

"You can't honestly believe this," Emerilla said in disbelief.

"Shibumi…thank you," Tomoya said, ignoring Emerilla. "Who wants to join me when I go to the Digital World?"

"You think I'm going to let you have all the fun in the Digital World all by yourself? I'm coming with you!" Nate said. _Oh boy! I hope we get to meet an Angewomon or LadyDevimon or something!_ Nathan thought with a wide smile.

"I'll go…gotta make sure you stay out of trouble, anyway…" Dalton said with a long yawn.

"Even though I'm not as in to Digimon as you, it would be pretty neat to have own for my own, I guess," Mia said.

"I'm going, too," Lilac said softly.

"If we really are all chosen to be Digidestined, then we can't turn our back on whomever or whatever chose us for the job," Theo said.

"This is stupid," Emerilla said, rolling her eyes, and as she turned to leave, Tomoya slashed the yellow card through his Digivice, creating a blinding light that enveloped all seven children and Shibumi, and suddenly, the light disappeared, and they were all gone.

* * *

A/N: Before I get a lot of questions about it, I will say it right now: Theo is NOT Kenta's son, for two reasons: 1. He's too smart to be Kenta's son. 2. Did you really think Kenta would have found someone to...reproduce with? Seriously.


	3. Tomoya's Digimon Partner

A/N: All right, time to discover who Tomoya's partner is! And I'll bet none of you saw this one coming! Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

"Is this…is this really the Digital World?" Tomoya asked in disbelief.

"Yes, we've all made it safely," Shibumi said with a happy sigh. "Ah, it's good to be back!"

"_This_ is the Digital World?" Nate asked, staring out across a vast wasteland.

"What were you expecting, everything to look like the first _Super Mario_ or _Legend of Zelda_ games?" Shibumi asked.

"Well, in the TV Show, the Digidestined were in a forest when they arrived in the Digital World…" Nate said with a little disappointment.

"Ah, don't worry. There _are_ some forests in the Digital World, but you won't be encountering any for a while."

"Tomoya," Emerilla said, walking up to him.

"Yeah, what is it?" Tomoya asked just as Emerilla punched him on the nose, causing him to fall backward. "Hey, what was that for?"

"I told you I didn't want to freaking come here, you dumbass! Take me home, right now!"

"I will as soon as I find my Digimon partner," Tomoya said, standing up and wiping the blood from his nose.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me!" Emerilla muttered under her breath.

"I never expected this place to look so…real!" Mia said in amazement.

"The Digital World is very similar to our world," Shibumi said.

"I remember hearing that on the TV show. They said that data was alive, but everything was also made up of molecules and atoms, or something," Nate said.

"Yes, the TV show did a good job describing what the Digital World is really like. That's one of the reasons I love it so much," Shibumi said, chuckling. "Well, come on, Tomoya; we need to find your Digimon partner!"

"Wow! Can you tell me who it's going to be?" Tomoya asked excitedly.

"Yeah, I could, but that would spoil the surprise," Shibumi said, laughing again. "Come on, follow me." Everyone followed him, except for Emerilla.

"Emerilla?" Theo said, wondering why she wasn't following.

"I don't believe anything this old codger has to say! I'm staying right here!"

"Even if you don't believe him, you should come with us anyway. It's dangerous to be alone here, and, no matter how strong you are, this really _is_ the Digital World, which means that there are Digimon lurking around here," Theo said seriously. Emerilla sighed.

"Theo, you just might be the only person in the world who could convince me to do everything," Emerilla smiled, walking up to her friend and ruffling up his hair.

* * *

"How long have we been walking, Shibumi?" Nate asked.

"About an hour. Don't worry, we're almost there. See those big lumps on the horizon over there?" Shibumi pointed to where he was talking about.

"Yeah…what are they?"

"It's a village of Digimon, and that is where Tomoya's partner is staying."

"All right, I can't wait to see what my Digimon partner is going to be!" Tomoya shouted, running as fast as he could toward the village. Less than a minute later, he had already reached the village, and suddenly, his smile faded. "This place looks so run down,"

"Don't worry, it always looks like this," Shibumi said.

"How'd you get here so fast?" Tomoya asked. Shibumi smiled, but said nothing.

"Ah, Shibumi, you've finally arrived," a large brown Digimon said in a quavering, exhausted voice.

"Chuchidarumon?" Tomoya exclaimed.

"Yes, Tomoya, I'd like to introduce you to your partner Digimon!" Shibumi said. Immediately, there was a crestfallen look on Tomoya's face. Shibumi laughed again. "Gotcha! Don't worry, you have a different Digimon. Where is he, elder?" Shibumi asked the Chuchidarumon.

"He's in that building over there," the Chuchidarumon raised a wobbling arm and pointed. Tomoya instantly rain toward it, soon followed by Chuchidarumon and Shibumi. "I'm glad you came to get him before that tyrant came to attack us again. I wouldn't have wanted anything to happen to the poor lad, after all…" the elder opened the door, and Tomoya bolted in, and there, in the middle of the house, was his Digimon partner. "He looks exactly like his father, as you said…"

"Yeah…for whatever reason, they had no knowledge of this place being real. I'm guessing their parents just didn't want to tell them; losing their Digimon partners so suddenly after the defeat of the D-Reaper like that, I can't really blame them…" Shibumi said sadly.

"Well, I promise not to say a thing about having met their parents before," Chuchidarumon said quietly just as the other kids arrived.

"Has Tomoya found his Digimon yet?" Nate asked.

"Yeah, they've been staring at each other for a good five minutes, now," Shibumi said, pointing at Tomoya, who was still standing in the door of the building, having not moved an inch since he saw him.

"Tomoya? You are Tomoya, aren't you?" the Digimon asked. Tomoya was speechless, but smiling. "It's nice to finally meet you, Tomoya. My name is Candlemon," the Digimon bowed, and began to smile as wide as his human partner.

"This…is…so…COOL!" Tomoya exclaimed, running up to his Digimon, giving him a big hug.

"I know what you mean! I've always wanted to be a human's partner Digimon before and have the chance to Digivolve!" Candlemon said happily, hugging his tamer back. "The two of us will make a great team, Tomoya!"

"Oh, wow…I've got to show you to all my friends!" Tomoya said, exiting the building to see his friends. "Guys…meet my partner Digimon…Candlemon!"

"Hey, everybody! It's nice to meet all of you!" Candlemon said waving. Everyone looked amazed, except, of course, for Emerilla.

"Isn't this awesome? Candlemon is like, my favorite Digimon ever!" Tomoya said.

"Well, as much as I hate to end all of this right now, I suggest all of you leave this village before the evil Digimon comes back," Chuchidarumon said.

"You're village is being attacked?" Tomoya asked. "By who?"

"By me!" a loud voice said. The ground began to shake as a giant Digimon emerged from behind several houses. "Sorry, it's nothing personal; the boss just needs this village out of the way, so he sent me to do it!"

"Tomoya…is that who I think it is?" Nate asked quietly.

"Yeah, that's him. It's Greymon."


	4. From Rookie to Champion

"Children, please leave at once!" Chuchidarumon said. "This Greymon is a tyrant; he won't stop attacking us until we're all destroyed!"

"No!" Tomoya said. "I'm not running away! I am a Digidestined now! We're supposed to fight bad Digimon like this one!"

"I'm with you, Tomoya!" Candlemon said, floating up to the Greymon. "Lava Loogie!" Candlemon shot a small flame from his mouth that hit Greymon's eye.

"Ow! That hurt, you bastard!" Greymon swung his claws at Candlemon, but he missed.

"Lava Loogie!" Candlemon attacked again, hitting Greymon on the head.

"Nova Blast!" Greymon unleashed a giant fireball from his mouth that hit Candlemon, causing him to crash into a nearby building. "Great Horns Attack!" Greymon lowered his head and ran toward the building Candlemon landed on, his sharp horn aimed right at Candlemon.

"Candlemon, move away!" Tomoya shouted.

"Do something!" Nate asked.

Suddenly, Candlemon's eyes opened as he unleashed another Lava Loogie, hitting Greymon in the face again. The force of the attack moved Candlemon a few inches up the building, so that when Greymon's attack hit, his horn missed him. However, the force of Greymon's impact on the building was more than enough for it to instantly collapse, sending Candlemon falling to the ground. He tried to get up, but some rubble landed on him, preventing him from moving.

"I'll deal with you in a moment, Rookie," Greymon said, turning to Tomoya and his friends.

"Candlemon!" Tomoya shouted at his partner, who was still struggling to get the rubble off of him. "Candlemon, Digivolve!" Tomoya pointed his Digivice at Candlemon, both of which began to glow with a bright light.

"What is that? What's going on?" Greymon shouted, covering his eyes.

"Candlemon Digivolve to, Wizardmon!" no longer buried in rubble, Wizardmon stood behind Greymon, aiming his wand at him. "Leave my friends alone!"

"All right, but don't complain when I'm chewing on you after I roast you! Nova Blast!"

"Magical Game!" Wizardmon suddenly disappeared, and Greymon's fireball hit the ground. "Magical Game!" a blast of lightning struck Greymon from behind, knocking him over. Wizardmon then stopped being invisible, revealing he was sitting on top of another building.

"You little brat! Nova Blast!" Greymon attacked again, but Wizardmon jumped out of the way, hitting only the house Wizardmon was sitting on.

"Electro Squall!" Wizardmon summoned a large, dark cloud above Greymon's head, and suddenly, a giant bolt of lightning came from it and struck Greymon on the horn on his nose. When it ended, Greymon fell over backward, and then disappeared, turning back into data which went straight toward Wizardmon, who absorbed it, and then turned back into Candlemon.

"What…what happened?" Mia asked.

"Wizardmon destroyed Greymon and turned him back into data," Theo explained. "But I don't know why the data headed for Wizardmon like that."

"Wizardmon absorbed Greymon's data," Shibumi said. "When a Digimon absorbs the data of a defeated Digimon, they get stronger. But, when they do that, the Digimon is unable to come back to life like you see on the TV show."

"So, if a Digimon doesn't absorb another Digimon's data, the defeated Digimon will turn back into a Digi-Egg?" Theo asked, and Shibumi nodded.

"So, if the data is not absorbed, the Digimon will just come back as an evil Digimon again!" Mia said.

"Well, not necessarily; sometimes, a Digimon can turn from evil to good, but they are more likely to stay on whichever path they chose in their previous life," Shibumi said.

"Then, does the same go for Digimon who used to be good? Do they have a chance of turning evil?"

"And will they always become the same exact Digimon again?" Theo asked.

"Yes, to both of those questions. I'd like to answer more questions, but it's getting rather late; we should all be heading back to the other world now, and I'll answer some more tomorrow."

"Yeah, Tomoya; slide the yellow card through that 'Digivice' and get us the hell out of here!" Emerilla shouted.

"Shibumi, can Candlemon come home with me?" Tomoya asked.

"He can exit the Digital World if you want, but I would advise against taking him home. It would be best to find a good place to hide him," Shibumi said.

"Candlemon, would you like to come to the other world with me?"

"Of course! I'd love to see the place where you live!" Candlemon said happily.

"All right, let's go!" Tomoya slid the yellow card up his Digivice, once again creating a blinding light that transported everyone, except for the Chuchidarumon, who waved goodbye, back to the human world.

"So, what did you think of your first trip to the Digital World?" Shibumi asked.

"It was so much fun! I'm so glad I got to meet my own partner Digimon!" Tomoya said, looking down at where Candlemon was. "Hey, you're not Candlemon!"

"No, not anymore! I turned back into my In-Training level, DemiMeramon!" the small fireball said.

"All of you come back here tomorrow, and we can go to the Digital World again," Shibumi said.

"I'm not going _there_ again!" Emerilla said.

"But Emerilla, we've all been chosen to be Digidestined! We have to go!" Nate said.

"I still don't believe that place was real! Besides, what if something happens to us while we're there? How would our parents know if anything bad happens to us?"

"Our Digimon partners wouldn't let anything bad like that happen to us!" Tomoya said.

"Whatever. See you all later," Emerilla said, walking off.

"Man, I can't stand that bitch!" Nate exclaimed.

"I thought you had a crush on her," Dalton said.

"I hate the way she acts, but I like the way she looks."

"Dalton, why didn't you say anything while we were in the Digital World?" Mia asked. "Didn't you like it there?"

"Oh, yeah, it was pretty neat. I just didn't want to have to take the effort to say much," Dalton said with another yawn.

"Well, I gotta go find somewhere to hide this guy! See you all tomorrow!" Tomoya said, running off.

"Do you have anywhere specific in mind where I could hide?" DemiMeramon asked.

"No, not really, I just thought I should look around until I found somewhere good," Tomoya said, looking around every direction. After about half an hour, his search led him to the park.

"Hey, Tomoya, I think I found a good place!" DemiMeramon said, pointing to some stairs that were hidden well by the long grass.

"Yeah, that's the perfect place to hide!" Tomoya said, running up the stairs to discover a small stone hideout. "Such a well hidden place, even if it looks like someone's been here before," Tomoya said, noticing that the iron fence was irreparably bent, and there was a large hole way in the back of the hideout.

"I don't know, it seems like people might know about this place," DemiMeramon said.

"Well, it's still the best place we've found. If you hear anyone coming up the stairs, just go into that hole and hide, or something," Tomoya said.

"Ok. See you tomorrow, Tomoya," DemiMeramon said, waving at his partner as he left. _This place has a weird smell, almost like…there've been other Digimon in this thing before…_

* * *

"Hi mom, hi dad! Sorry I'm late! I was in the middle of a card game with Nate, and it lasted longer than I thought," Tomoya said, entering his parent's bakery.

"Don't worry about it, it can happen," Takato said.

"Did you manage to beat him?" Jeri asked.

"Only once, when I Digivolved my…Wizardmon…" Tomoya said, rather absent-mindedly.

"Is something wrong?" Takato asked.

"No, no, I'm fine, just a little hungry. What's for dinner?"


	5. Hatred and Apologies

Tomoya waited impatiently at the park with DemiMeramon, Shibumi, Mia, Lilac, Nate, and Dalton, waiting for Theo and Emerilla to join them.

"What's taking them so long?" Tomoya asked.

"Tomoya, it's only 9:30 on a weekday morning. I doubt they're awake," Dalton said.

"_You_ are," Tomoya said.

"Good point."

"Well, this Digivice is for Emerilla, so if Theo doesn't show up, we can go without him," Shibumi said, holding up a sapphire-blue Digivice.

"Hey, everyone, sorry we're late," Theo said, walking up to the group with Emerilla.

"What took so long?" Tomoya asked.

"Sorry, it took a while for me to convince her to come with me," Theo said apologetically.

"Well, I'm glad you decided to show up, Emerilla, since the next Digimon we're going to go meet is yours," Shibumi said, handing her the Digivice, which she reluctantly took.

"I'm only going along to prove that all of this isn't real!" Emerilla said.

"How do you plan on doing that?" Tomoya asked angrily.

"I'll figure something out. Now just slide that yellow card through your Digivice so we can go and get this over with!" Emerilla snapped, and Tomoya slid the yellow card through his Digivice, sending them to the Digital World once again.

"Hey, we're in a different part of the Digital World this time," Theo said, looking around the forest they were in.

"I designed the yellow card to take us to the location of the partner Digimon closest to where we were in the Digital World last time," Shibumi said. Suddenly, the ground began to shake as an enormous Digimon walked between the trees.

"Hey, Shibumi! Are you ready for me to take these kids to the next Digimon?"

"Hello, Monochromon. Yes, these are the kids I was referring to. And it will be this young lady who will be receiving her Digimon partner next," Shibumi pointed to Emerilla, who rolled her eyes.

"Well, come along, then; I'll take you to that Digimon!" Monochromon said happily, leading everyone through the forest for about ten minutes.

"I wonder what kind Digimon she'll be getting," Nate said.

"It doesn't matter. It's not like it will be real," Emerilla said stiffly.

"Emerilla, will you shut up about that? This place is real!" Tomoya shouted.

"Here we are!" Monochromon said. "She's right inside that cave." Emerilla didn't move.

"Emerilla, get your ass in there!" Tomoya shouted. Emerilla rolled her eyes again, and slowly went in.

"Is she always like that?" Monochromon asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," Mia sighed.

"All right, where's my Digimon?" Emerilla asked once inside the cave.

"I'm right here," a small white Digimon said. "My name is Lunamon," the Digimon said with a smile. Emerilla didn't say anything, but shook her head in disbelief and exited the cave, followed closely by Lunamon. "I'm sure the two of us are going to make a great team!"

"I DON'T NEED A DIGIMON PARTNER!" Emerilla screamed, and then ran off. Lunamon just stood there, and, surprisingly, she began to smile.

"Wow, you're a Lunamon, aren't you?" Nate asked.

"You're so cute!" Mia exclaimed. "If Emerilla doesn't want to be your human partner, I'd be happy to-"

"No, I'm sorry, but my only partner can be Emerilla," Lunamon said with a sigh. "I'll go see if I can find her…" Lunamon ran off into the forest to find Emerilla.

"What should we do, Shibumi?" Nate asked.

"There's really not much any of us can do," Shibumi sighed.

"I might be able to convince her this is all real," Theo said. "Yesterday, she told me I was the only person that could convince her to do everything there is to do." Before Theo ran off after Lunamon, a loud rumbling could be heard from the cave, and suddenly, a different Monochromon emerged from the cave. This one, however, was much bigger than the good Monochromon, and he had a darker upper body, lighter lower body, and a scar over his left eye.

"Pardon for the interruption, but my master ordered me to destroy all the Digidestined! Volcanic Strike!" the big Monochromon unleashed many fireballs from his mouth at everyone, but they all missed.

"DemiMeramon, help us out!" Tomoya said, holding up his Digivice, which began to glow.

"DemiMeramon Digivolve to, Candlemon! Paraffin Paralyzer!" Candlemon unleashed hot, melted wax from the top of his head at the Monochromon, but he didn't seem to notice the attack. "Candlemon Digivolve to, Wizardmon! Magical Game!"

"Slamming Attack!" the big Monochromon began charging at Wizardmon, taking Wizardmon's electric attack to the face without seeming to notice until he rammed into Wizardmon, sending him flying into a tree, making him turn back into Candlemon.

"Everyone, find Lunamon! I'll hold him off!" the smaller Monochromon said, preforming a Slamming Attack on the larger Monochromon, hitting him in the face with his giant horn.

* * *

"Emerilla, what's the matter with you?" Theo shouted. "This Lunamon is just trying to be friends with you, then you go and shout in her face!"

"So what? Even if she was real, WHICH SHE ISN'T, she's just data!"

"No, she isn't! She may be made of data, but she's a living thing!" at that moment, both Monochromon ran through, still fighting each other.

"Volcanic Strike!" the smaller Monochromon struck the bigger one in the face with fireballs, but he didn't even flinch.

"Slamming Attack!" the bigger Monochromon slammed his giant horn into the smaller one's face as he shoved him against a tree, knocking him out. "You three are next!"

"Tear Shot!" Lunamon fired a ball of water from her antenna that was easily ignored by the now charging Monochromon, which then rammed into her, sending her flying into a tree.

"Lunamon!" Theo exclaimed, running over to the small Rookie, but before he could reach her, the Monochromon crashed into his shoulder, knocking him down to the ground.

"Theo!" Emerilla shouted as the Monochromon began charging at her. _Theo…he actually got hurt? Is this place…more real than I thought?_ The Monochromon collided into her torso, sending her flying backward. _I was…injured? This place must be real…no, but…that doesn't make any sense!_ Emerilla looked up to see the giant Monochromon standing over her, prepared to attack again. "Lunamon!" Lunamon's ears perked up upon hearing her tamer's scream.

"Lunar Claw!" Lunamon scratched Monochromon on his good eye, making him roar in pain. "Emerilla, are you all right?" Lunamon asked, helping her partner stand up.

"I'm fine, but what about Theo?" Emerilla asked, seeing the Monochromon going after him instead.

"Don't worry, Emerilla, I'll protect both of you!" just then, both Emerilla's Digivice and Lunamon began to glow. "Lunamon Digivolve to, Lekismon! Moon Night Bomb!" Lekismon formed a ball of water in her hands, which she threw at the Monochromon, who instantly fell asleep. "Moon Night Kick!" Lekismon jumped up high, and when she came back down, she delivered a powerful kick to Monochromon's face, the force of which was enough to wake him up.

"Volcanic Strike!" Monochromon unleashed several fireballs, all of which missed Lekismon and hit the trees, instantly vaporizing them.

"Emerilla, are you ok?" Tomoya asked, running over to her, followed by the others.

"You expected otherwise? Of course I'm fine! Lunamon Digivolved into Lekismon to save me!" Emerilla gestured toward her newly Digivolved Digimon.

"Huh? You mean you don't hate her for being fake anymore?" Nate asked.

"No," Emerilla said softly as Monochromon opened his mouth to prepare another Volcanic Strike attack.

"Tear Arrow!" Lekismon bent down on all fours, and with the stickup on her back, she fired an icicle in the shape of an arrow straight into Monochromon's mouth, tearing through his insides and coming out the other end, instantly killing him. Lekismon then turned back into Lunamon.

"Lunamon, you did great! I…I'm sorry for the way I treated you, and for what I said to you," Emerilla said, picking up her Digimon and hugging her.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to hold him off for very long," the good Monochromon said.

"Don't worry about it, Monochromon. We're just glad that you're still alive," Tomoya said. "All right, is everyone ready to go home?" everyone nodded as Tomoya slid the yellow card through his Digivice, sending them all back to the human world.

"So, how long did it take for you to stop hating her?" Mia asked.

"It was about when Monochromon tackled Theo and me to the ground. I got hurt, and that was when I realized the Digital World might be real after all," Emerilla said, hugging her Digimon again. "Thank you, uh…what's your name now?"

"My name is now Moonmon," the little Digimon said.

"That giant Monochromon tackled you both to the ground? And you're both still alive?" Nate exclaimed.

"Maybe it just grazed 'em or something…" Dalton said.

"No, it crashed right into Theo's shoulder, and I took it to the torso," Emerilla said.

"Well, I guess that explains why Emerilla's still alive; that Monochromon's horn crashed right into her concrete-hard abs," Mia said, laughing.

"I'm just surprised that Monochromon's horn didn't break right off," Tomoya said, also laughing.

"Well, what else could one expect when you've got abs as sexy as mine?" Emerilla said in her usual haughty voice, pulling up her shirt.

"Yeah, you might want to hold off on doing that until you're all healed," Nate said.

"What do you mean?" Emerilla asked, and then looked down, gasping when she saw what Nate was talking about. "Wow, I guess that place was more real than I thought," Emerilla said, staring at the dark purple bruise Monochromon left on her belly. "I hope my parents don't notice this; if they do, they could find out about the Digital World!"

"Well, if you don't flash people every five minutes, I think you'll be fine," Tomoya said. "Come on, I'll take you to the place where I hid DemiMeramon last night."

* * *

"Hi, Emerilla. Did you have fun with your friends?" Rika asked her when she got home.

"Yep! Just played the Digimon card game all day long!"

"And I'll bet you won each time, too," Emerilla's father, Ryo, said.

"Of course she would have! She inherited the skill from the two best players, after all!" Rika said.

"Hi, dad! What are you doing home so early?"

"There wasn't anything for me to do, so I decided to come home early." Ryo worked as a private investigator. "So, how many times did you win?"

"Well over fifty!" Emerilla bragged.

"Have you ever thought about, you know, taking it easy so the others can have a chance to win?" Ryo asked.

"I didn't understand a single word in that sentence."

* * *

A/N: Sorry I can't think of better jobs for these people DX


	6. Unexpected Surprise

A/N: Please excuse Nate for his French in this chapter (and most likely many more to come) and for the short chapter.

* * *

"I'm glad you could all make it again today," Shibumi said as all seven kids arrived at the same time. Emerilla and Tomoya were holding their partner Digimon.

"Who's going to get their Digimon partner today?" Theo asked.

"And how come we can only go once a day?" Mia asked.

"Well, I'd like to keep it to once a day, seeing as how we don't know how long each visit is going to last. As for who gets to meet their partner next," Shibumi reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a sunset-orange colored Digivice. "This belongs to you, Nate."

"Oh, cool! I finally get my very own Digimon!" Nate exclaimed. _Man, I hope I get partnered with an Angewomon!_

"All right, everyone; let's go!" Tomoya said, sliding the yellow card through his Digivice, transporting everyone to the Digital World once again. Once the light stopped shinning, they could see they were inside what appeared to be a small city.

"All right, where's my Angewomon…I mean, Digimon partner?" Nate asked.

"Kid, I hate to break it to you, but your partner ain't no Angewomon," a blue dragon Digimon said from behind him.

"Are you my partner, then?"

"Nah, Shibumi over there just asked me to keep an eye out on him; he's a bit hyper. By the way, my name is Arresterdramon, and your Digimon partner is in here," Arresterdramon opened the door of the building they were standing next to, and instantly, an orange blur burst through and collided into Nate.

"Are you my partner? You are, aren't you! I can tell! I'm glad you're here; I couldn't wait another minute in that damn house! My name is-" the Digimon spoke very fast, and everyone could barely understand him.

"Agumon…" Nate said quietly, his eyes wide in shock.

"Yeah, that's my name! How did you know that? You're very smart! I like you! By the way, my name is Agumon! Wait, you already knew that, didn't you?" Agumon continued to speak quickly.

"NO FUCKING WAY!" Nate shouted, hugging Agumon tightly. "THIS IS EVEN COOLER THAN HAVING A SEXY ANGEWOMON!"

"All righty then. Should we get going?" Tomoya asked.

"Nobody is allowed to leave my town without my permission!" a loud voice said, and after a loud buzzing noise, a giant red beetle landed on top of the building Agumon had (reluctantly) been in. "And I never give permission to leave!"

"Oh no, it's Kuwagamon!" Tomoya said.

"You guys get outta here now! I'll distract him! Spin Caliper!"

"Scissors Claw!" Arresterdramon swung his tail, but Kuwagamon caught it in his mouth. "Arresterdramon, you know you can't beat me! You or anyone else in this town! That's why I am in charge!" Kuwagamon through Arresterdramon to the ground.

"Dad!" a smaller blue dragon ran up to Arresterdramon.

"Gumdramon, stay back!" Arresterdramon said. "Why haven't you left yet?"

"Because we're Digidestined! We never run away from fights like this, right, Agumon?" Nate asked.

"Right! Pepper Breath!" Agumon shot a small fireball from his mouth at Kuwagamon, hitting him in the face, but he didn't seem to notice.

"So, you want to fight, huh? I don't mind!" Kuwagamon took flight and headed straight for Agumon.

"Agumon, Digivolve to Greymon!" Nate said, holding up his Digivice, which began to glow at the same time as Agumon.

"Agumon Digivolve to, Tyrannomon!"

"Tyrannomon?" Nate said. "That's not Greymon…"

"Scissors Claw!" Kuwagamon's giant mandibles slammed down onto Tyrannomon's neck.

"Blaze Blast!" Tyrannomon unleashed a powerful flame from his mouth that instantly incinerated the Kuwagamon. "So, what do you think, Nate?" Tyrannomon asked, turning back into Agumon.

_Oh, well, Tyrannomon's pretty cool, I guess…_ "That was awesome!"

"Thank you for your help, Digidestined. You all had the option to flee, yet you all stayed here to protect us. We are all indebted to you," Arresterdramon said.

"It was our pleasure!" Nate said.

"If there is anything we can do to repay you, let us know."

"There wouldn't happen to be any Angewomon in this village, would there?" Nate whispered to Arresterdramon.

"No, there isn't."

"Come on, Nate, let's go back home," Tomoya said, sliding the yellow card through his Digivice, sending everyone back to the human world.

"Wow, he's a Koromon now!" Nate said, holding the small pink Digimon.

"Wow, you sure no a lot of different thing! I'm glad I got partnered with someone smart like you!" Koromon continued to talk fast even at his In-Training level.

"Come on, let's take these guys to that place I found," Tomoya said, leading Emerilla and Nate to the park.

* * *

A/N: The Agumon in this story uses the Adventure/02 design.


	7. The Mythical Animal

"Shibumi, once all of us have our Digimon partners, what are we supposed to do?" Tomoya asked. "I mean, I know there are evil Digimon we have to defeat, but, how are we supposed to do that if we have to get back to this world at a certain time?"

"Well, let's worry about that once everyone here has their Digimon partner," Shibumi said, reaching into his coat pocket, pulling out an indigo colored Digivice. "Lilac, this belongs to you."

"Oh…thank you…" Lilac said in a barely audible tone, taking the Digivice.

"I wonder what kind of Digimon she's going to get. It probably won't be as cool as I am, though, but I guess it could still end up being pretty cool!" Koromon said, still almost too quick to understand.

"All right, let's go!" Tomoya said, sliding the yellow card through his Digivice, transporting everyone to the Digital World. When they arrived, they were instantly greeted by a small brown Digimon. "Whoa, that's Tapirmon!"

"Tapirmon, what's going on? Where did those Woodmon go?" Shibumi asked.

"They're all being attacked by a giant Kabuterimon! I tried to help them, but they sent me to get help so I wouldn't get hurt," Tapirmon said worriedly (it's a female Tapirmon, by the way.)

"I see. Well, this young lady right here is your human partner," Shibumi gestured to Lilac.

"Oh, you must be Lilac! It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Tapirmon said, bowing her head.

"…Hello…" Lilac said, waving slightly.

"Lilac, there's no need to be shy! She's your Digimon partner!" Nate said.

"Yeah, the personalities of human and Digimon partners are supposed to be a perfect match for each other," Tomoya said.

"That's why I get along so well with Tomoya!" Candlemon said.

"Come on, we need to go save those Woodmon!" Tapirmon said. "They're in this forest!" Tapirmon hovered into a nearby forest, followed by the others, and soon, they found three Woodmon fighting with an overly large Kabuterimon.

"Electro Shocker!" the Kabuterimon fired an electric blast that missed two of the Woodmon, but it hit the third one, instantly killing it. Kabuterimon then absorbed the data of the destroyed Woodmon.

"That bastard! He murdered that innocent Woodmon! Candlemon, Digivolve!" Tomoya said, his Digivice glowing, along with Emerilla's and Nate's.

"Candlemon Digivolve to, Wizardmon!"

"Lunamon Digivolve to, Lekismon!"

"Agumon Digivolve to, Tyrannomon!"

"Electro Shocker!"

"Magical Game!" Kabuterimon fired another Electro Shocker, but Wizardmon blew it up with his Magical Game attack.

"Blaze Blast!" Tyrannomon shot a blast of fire from his mouth, but Kabuterimon easily dodged it, then swooped down and knocked Tyrannomon to the ground.

"Tear Arrow!" Lekismon shot an ice arrow at Kabuterimon, but it instantly shattered when it hit his head.

"Electro Shocker!"

"Moon Night Bomb!" both Kabuterimon's and Lekismon's attacks collided, creating an explosion. Kabuterimon flew through the smoke of the explosion and rammed his horn onto Lekismon, slamming her to the ground and causing her to turn back into Lunamon, and then he turned around and flew straight for Tyrannomon.

"Blaze Blast!" Tyrannomon's attack hit Kabuterimon from behind, but it only caused a slight change of movement as Kabuterimon slammed his horn onto Tyrannomon. However, when he did, Tyrannomon grabbed his horn, and with a slight struggle, threw Kabuterimon up into the sky and launched another Blaze Blast, hitting him right in the face.

"Beetle Horn Attack!" Kabuterimon swooped down on Tyrannomon, this time with his horn surging with electricity as he slammed it onto Tyrannomon, causing him to turn back into Agumon.

"Lilac, it's my turn!" Tapirmon said.

"What?"

"We can't just sit here and watch our friends get hurt like this! I'm going to do something about it!" Tapirmon said, hovering off.

"Please don't get hurt…"

"Electro Squall!"

"Electric Storm!" Wizardmon summoned a giant thundercloud above Kabuterimon that unleashed a massive lightning bolt on Kabuterimon, but before it hit him, Kabuterimon surrounded himself with electricity, absorbing Wizardmon's attack. He then swooped down and tackled Wizardmon to the ground, making him turn back into Candlemon.

"Nightmare Syndrome!" Tapirmon unleashed a dark purple fog from her mouth that completely surrounded Kabuterimon, but he didn't seem to notice as he swatted her away with a giant claw.

"Tapirmon!" Lilac shouted as she ran to her Digimon partner. "Tapirmon, are you ok?"

"Yes, Lilac, I'll be fine," Tapirmon said, and just then, Lilac's Digivice began to glow. "Kabuterimon is the one who's not going to be fine! Tapirmon Digivolve to, Unimon!" Lilac stared in awe at her Digimon, as Unimon was her absolute favorite Digimon. "Aerial Gallop!" Unimon took to the skies and rammed her horn into Kabuterimon's chest, shattering his exoskeleton instantly and creating a small hole. "Aerial Attack!" Unimon fired a blast of energy from her mouth through the hole she created in Kabuterimon's chest, instantly killing him. Unimon then gracefully flew back down to the ground and turned back into Tapirmon.

"Tapirmon…you were great," Lilac said softly.

"Thank you! I'm just glad I was able to be of any help," Tapirmon said.

"Yes, thank you for defeating that evil Kabuterimon," one of the Woodmon said.

"We're sorry we weren't able to get here in time to defeat him," Tapirmon said sadly.

"Don't worry about it; we're just glad you got here when you did," the other Woodmon said. "We don't know who's sending these evil Digimon around the Digital World, or even if they're just acting on their own or not, but I'm sure you'll all be able to defeat them, especially when all of your Digimon have been found!"

"Yes, we wish you luck on your journey to save our world!" the first Woodmon said. Everyone waved goodbye to the Woodmon as Tomoya slid the yellow card through his Digivice, sending them all back to the human world.

"Oh, cool! Tapirmon turned into a Tsunomon!" Nate said, looking at the little Digimon in Lilac's arms.

"I hope the other Digimon we find are small; it's starting to get crowded in that thing in the park!" DemiMeramon wined.

"Stop complaining, DemiMeramon! It's the best place to hide all of you!" Tomoya said, taking everyone to the hideout he discovered.

* * *

"Hi mom, I'm home," Lilac said once she got home.

"Did you have a good day?" her mother, Alice Wong, asked.

"It was great," Lilac said with one of her rare smiles. "Is dad home yet?"

"No, I'm afraid he won't be back for a while." Lilac's father, Henry Wong, worked as a video game designer at a rather mysterious building downtown.


	8. The Captive Digimon

"Everyone, I have some good news for once!" Shibumi said, once all seven of the kids and their Digimon had arrived. "There is a powerful Digimon called Grademon watching over the Digimon we're looking for today, so if any evil Digimon are in the area, Grademon will have already dealt with it."

"Well, that's a relief; I need a break from fighting all the time!" DemiMeramon said. "So, who's going to get their Digimon partner today?"

"This time, Theo will do us the honors of receiving the next Digimon," Shibumi said, handing Theo an emerald-colored Digivice.

"I wonder what kind of Digimon I'll be getting…" Theo said.

"I'm sure it will be a cool one, but I doubt it will be as cool as I am! I'm sure it will be pretty strong, though, but I doubt it won't be-" Koromon said, before being interrupted by Tomoya sliding the yellow card through his Digivice, taking everyone to the Digital World. Once the light disappeared, they could clearly see they were in a vast wasteland near a tall mountain. There wasn't a single living thing in sight.

"Where's my Digimon partner?" Theo asked.

"I don't know; he was supposed to be right here with Grademon," Shibumi said. Theo noticed something out of the corner of his eye, and turned to see it was a piece of paper under a rock.

"Guys, I think there's a note here," Theo said, picking up the note. "What is this? I don't know what it says!"

"It's written in DigiCode. Mind if I take a look at it?" Candlemon asked as Theo handed him the note. "It says, 'This is Hawkmon, Theo's partner Digimon. I'm writing this to say that we (that is, Grademon and I) have been defeated and are about to be taken to the top of the mountain you see before you. Please come get us. Signed, Hawkmon.'"

"My Digimon's been taken captive?" Theo exclaimed. "We've got to go help him!"

"But, how? If a Digimon as strong as that Grademon Shibumi was talking about got defeated, then there's no way any of our Digimon would stand a chance!" Tomoya said.

"Well, we've got to at least try!" Candlemon said.

"Wait! We don't know what that mountain is like up there! Our best chance is to fly up!" Tapirmon said.

"But, Tapirmon, you're the only one who can fly! If you, Lilac, and Theo all go up there together, then it will be just you fighting off whatever beat Grademon to save Theo's partner!" Mia said.

"Well, what if, say, Tomoya and Candlemon were to go up there with Theo? Then we'd have two Digimon to fight whatever's up there until we free Hawkmon," Tapirmon suggested.

"It…it's all right with me…" Lilac said.

"Ok, I'll go up there with Theo," Emerilla said. "You ready, Lunamon?" she asked her Digimon partner, who nodded enthusiastically.

"All right, now that that's all settled…Tapirmon Digivolve to, Unimon! Come on guys, climb on!" Unimon said as Theo, Emerilla, and Lunamon climbed onto Unimon's back. "And we're off!" After about thirty minutes of flying, Unimon decided to take a short break on the mountain.

"Emerilla, thank you for going with me," Theo said.

"Theo, we've known each other for two years; you're like a little brother to me," Emerilla said softly.

"Guys, it's going to get colder the farther up we go," Unimon said. "As a Digimon used to living on mountains like this, I'll be fine, but the three of you should be careful."

"You don't have to worry about me, Unimon; at the Champion level, I have ice and water attacks! The cold should only make them stronger!" Lunamon said, jumping onto Unimon's neck.

"I don't intend to stay on this mountain for very long," Emerilla said, climbing onto Unimon's back. "With you, Lunamon, and Theo's Digimon all at the Champion level, I expect this to be an easy victory."

"I should've guessed that you'd say something like that," Unimon said as Theo climbed on her back. As soon as Unimon spread her wings and took flight, a stream of black flames scorched the ground where she just was. Looking over to where the flames came from, they immediately saw an enormous dragon.

"An Airdramon? THAT'S what defeated Grademon?" Emerilla exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" Lunamon asked.

"Airdramon's only a Champion level Digimon, while Grademon's and Ultimate," Theo said.

"This Digimon must be incredibly powerful to have taken down that Grademon," Unimon said, flying back down to the mountain to let Theo and Emerilla off as Emerilla's Digivice began to glow.

"Lunamon Digivolve to, Lekismon!"

"I don't care what you say, Unimon; I say this is going to be an easy fight for you guys!" Emerilla said.

"You're a fool if you think that!" Airdramon roared. "Why do you think I LET Hawkmon write that note for you to find, because I don't have hands? I WANTED you to come up here! I WANTED to challenge you!"

"What makes you so sure our Digimon won't beat you?" Emerilla asked.

"If there were three of you fighting me, I might be worried, but Hawkmon and Grademon are hidden somewhere on this mountain, trapped in ice! And there's only so much the two of you can do to me!" Airdramon said to Unimon and Lekismon.

"No problem; I'll just go and get a couple more Digimon from-"

"Spinning Needle!" Airdramon unleashed the stream of black flames from his mouth at Unimon, slamming her into the mountain. A few pounds of snow fell from up above and landed on Unimon.

"Tear Arrow!" Lekismon shot an ice arrow from her back, but since it was cold, the arrow was larger, dealing more damage than usual as it struck Airdramon in the face. "Moon Night Bomb!"

"Wing Cutter!" Lekismon formed a ball of water in her glove that instantly froze, and as she threw it at Airdramon, he flapped his enormous wings, sending two blades of air that shattered the ice ball and struck Lekismon, sending her falling to the ground.

"Aerial Gallop!" Unimon burst through the snow and flew at a high speed, striking Airdramon across the face with her horn. "Aerial Attack!" Unimon fired a blast of energy from her mouth at Airdramon, but he flew out of the way, causing Unimon's attack to hit the mountain. However, when it did, it melted the snow on the side of the mountain, revealing a small cavern with two Digimon inside it.

"That must be where your Digimon is!" Emerilla said, running into the cavern with Theo.

"Hawkmon! Hawkmon, are you ok?" Theo asked, vigorously shaking the bird, and soon, his eyes opened.

"Theo? Thou art Theo, aren't thou?" Hawkmon asked, speaking with a Shakespearian dialect (and a voice that sounded similar to Mercurymon from season 4.)

"Yes…yes, that's me!" Theo said, tears in his eyes as he hugged his Digimon. "I'm glad you're ok!"

"Thou art mistaken, Theodore; none could ever hope to defeat me in the field of battle!" Hawkmon said with a warm smile. "Now, let us assist thy friends! Hawkmon Digivolve to, Thunderbirdmon!" the immense blue Digimon instantly took flight and left the cavern, and instantly tackled Airdramon.

"Damn it, they've set you loose! And that means that Grademon…"

"Is right behind you!" a golden armored Digimon said as he slashed Airdramon across the back with his swords

"Spark Wing!" Thunderbirdmon swung his wing, firing multiple electrified feathers from it, striking Airdramon in the face and wings, making him fall on his back on the mountain, where he then slid headfirst all the way down to the bottom. "Many thanks for thy assistance, Grademon."

"It was the very least I could do after failing to protect you," Grademon said solemnly.

"Well, come on; let's rejoin our friends at the bottom of the mountain!" Unimon said as Emerilla and Lunamon, who had de-Digivolved from Lekismon once Thunderbirdmon sent Airdramon to the bottom of the mountain, climbed on her back. Theo climbed onto Thunderbirdmon's back as he flew down, and Grademon simply jumped down. Once they all reached the bottom, they could all see that Airdramon was still alive.

"Enjoy this victory…while you are still able to!" Airdramon snarled. "Eat, drink, and be merry, little Digidestined, for soon you shall all be crushed!" and with that, Airdramon spread his mighty wings and took off.

"Everyone, I wish to apologize for not being able to defeat that fiend," Grademon said. "He struck me as hard as he could from behind; I didn't have time to react as he took me and Hawkmon up the mountain, where he forced Hawkmon to write that message."

"Hey, don't worry about it, Grademon. I'm just glad you're still alive and well," Shibumi said.

"…I take it that means you have another job for me to do?" Grademon asked.

"Yes, I'd like for you to take this message to…our beautiful friend," Shibumi said, handing Grademon a piece of paper. "Make sure you aren't followed."

"Yeah…wouldn't want anything bad to happen to any innocent evil Digimon that happen to wander into her house," Grademon said with a laugh, then took off.

"No, Nathan, it's not an Angewomon he's going to go see, and no, you can't go with him," Shibumi said with an exhausted sigh.

"How'd you know what I was going to ask?" Nate asked, truly bewildered.

"We've known each other for about a week; it's gotten quite obvious."

"All right, let's go back home now!" Tomoya said, sliding the yellow card through his Digivice, taking everyone back to the human world.

"Well, it looks like you're at the In-Training level now," Theo said, looking at his Digimon.

"Indeed; I am Poromon now," the small Digimon said.

"I still can't believe you didn't take me up the mountain with you! I bet I could've destroyed that dragon with a single attack!" Koromon said rapidly.

"Koromon, will you let it go?" Nate pleaded.

"Yeah, but I'm like the strongest Digimon ever! I know I could have-"

"Will thou stop that?" Poromon shouted, smacking Koromon with his wing.


	9. Astonishing Intelligence

"Shibumi, are there Digimon guarding Dalton's and my Digimon?" Mia asked once everyone had brought their Digimon to the park.

"Yes, there is," Shibumi said with one of his rare frowns as he reached into his coat pocket. "If Grademon was beaten so easily by an Airdramon, I'm worried about them, as well as the Digimon they're guarding. Here, this is for you, Dalton," he said, handing Dalton a golden-colored Digivice.

"Thank you, sir," Dalton said, lazily accepting the Digivice. In truth, he was more excited than he appeared; he was just too lazy to show any expression. Mia looked a little sad that she'd have to wait a little longer to receive her Digimon partner.

"Don't worry, Mia; you'll get to see your Digimon tomorrow," Tomoya said. "And I'm sure it will be a great one!"

"Probably not as great as-"

"SHUT UP!" everyone screamed at Koromon. Tomoya slid the yellow card through his Digivice, sending everyone to the Digital World. This time, they were all taken to a valley with many rocks and boulders littering the ground. As soon as the light cleared, they saw a small, robotic Digimon fly through the air and slam into one of the rocks.

"Datamon!" Shibumi said, running over to the small Digimon. "Datamon, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…so's the lil' guy I'm guardin'," Datamon said weakly.

"Did you see which way he went?" a small green Digimon asked Datamon. The Digimon was covered in small burns.

"No, sorry…which one of you's gettin' their Digimon today?" Datamon asked, and Dalton stepped forward. "Well, here he is; Betamon!"

"You must be Dalton; nice to meet you," Betamon said, approaching his human partner.

"Same here," Dalton said with a yawn.

"What's the matter? Didn't get enough sleep last night or something?" Betamon asked.

"Nah, I'm always feeling sleepy," Dalton said.

"Oh…are you…sick…or something?" Betamon said, completely puzzled.

"No, he's just lazy," Nate said. Betamon stared blankly for a moment at his tamer.

"Figures…I get the lazy-ass who doesn't want to do anything!" Betamon said, running off.

"Betamon, where ya' goin'?" Datamon asked.

"I'm off to defeat that Garurumon all on my own!"

"Are ya' crazy? Ya' can't just walk up to a big ol' Champ like Garurumon and defeat him on your own!" Datamon said.

"Yeah, maybe not, but…" Betamon turned around to face the group. "I'd be better off facing him alone then with a lazy-ass Digidestined like Dalton!" and with that Betamon ran off.

"That inconsiderate bastard!" Emerilla said.

"Remind you of anyone?" Tomoya asked dryly.

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering."

"Hey, where did Dalton go?" Theo asked.

"Did anyone see him leave?" Mia asked, and everyone shook their heads.

* * *

"There he is…" Betamon whispered to himself, seeing Garurumon drink from a small puddle from behind a rock. "Now's my chance to strike!" but before he attacked, he heard someone walking up to him from behind, and when he turned around, he saw Dalton. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"I'm here to help out," Dalton said coolly.

"What make you think I want or need your help? I'm fine!" Betamon leapt from the rock he was hiding behind. "Electric Shock!" Garurumon turned around, only to receive a face-full of electricity.

"Back for more, little Rookie?" Garurumon taunted. "Where'd that pile of bolts go? Is he getting reprogrammed because I hurt him too much?" Garurumon began to laugh as Betamon's eyes narrowed.

"Don't ever insult my friends! Water Tower!" Betamon created a pillar of water from underneath Garurumon, soaking him.

"That was pathetic; that wasn't even an attack! Check THIS out! Howling Blaster!"

"Quick, Betamon; move a few centimeters to your right!" Dalton suddenly exclaimed.

"Why should I?"

"JUST DO IT!" Betamon begrudgingly obeyed, and as soon as he moved, Garurumon's Howling Blaster flames landed exactly where he had stood moments ago. "Now, strike him with your electric attack!" Betamon gasped.

_Of course; I just doused him with water! Why didn't I think of that?_ "Electric Shock!" Betamon unleashed another Electric Shock that struck Garurumon, this time doing more damage than it did last time, making him fall to the ground. _I yelled at him because I thought he was a worthless, lazy bum…could he be smarter than I thought?_ Betamon walked over to Dalton. "Dalton, I owe you an apology. I yelled at you earlier, think that you were the laziest person in the world, and I didn't stop to think that you might actually be smart."

"That's ok; I pretty much am the laziest person in the world," Dalton said.

"How did you catch up to me, though?"

"I ran."

"_You_?"

"Surprising, isn't it?" Dalton asked, grinning.

"Aww, isn't this sweet? A touching reunion between Digimon and human! I think I'm going to throw up!" Garurumon said, standing up. "Howling Blaster!" the attack was headed straight for Dalton, but just before it hit him, Betamon jumped in front of hit, taking the hit for Dalton.

"Betamon, are you ok?" Dalton asked, bending down to pick up his Digimon.

"Yeah, I'm fine. He's hit me a lot harder before," Betamon said, jumping out of Dalton's arms just as Dalton's Digivice began to glow. "And now it's our turn to hit him back! Betamon Digivolve to, Seadramon!"

"All right, so you're bigger now. Big deal! I can still beat you! Howling Blaster!"

"Ice Blast!" Seadramon unleashed a stream of absolute zero ice from his mouth that completely annihilated Garurumon's attack, and then froze him completely over. "Looks like you're about to get what you deserve!" Seadramon said as he wrapped his tail around the frozen Garurumon and flew high into the sky and dropped Garurumon, instantly killing him. Seadramon flew back down to his partner and turned back into Betamon. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you, Dalton."

"Hey, don't worry about it; I get doubted all the time," Dalton said as the others managed to find him.

"Are you two ok?" Datamon asked. "That Garurumon didn't do too much harm, did 'e?"

"No, quite the opposite, in fact; I Digivolved to Seadramon and defeated him!" Betamon said.

"Wow, that's quite the opposite of the TV show," Nate said.

"See you later, Datamon," Shibumi said as Tomoya slid the yellow card through his Digivice, sending everyone back to the human world.

"Hey, you're a Bukamon now!" Dalton said to his Digimon.

"Yep! Being in the human world for too long can drain a Digimon of its energy! That's why we turn to our In-Training levels," Bukamon said.

"Tomorrow's finally the day when I can meet my partner Digimon," Mia said quietly.

"Don't worry; I'm sure you can make it!" DemiMeramon said.

"And when we get there, you'll get one of the best Digimon, you'll see!" Tomoya said, placing his hand over Koromon's mouth before he could say anything.


	10. Friendship Between Good and Evil

Mia ran as fast as she could to the park, a wide smile across her face as she knew she would finally be receiving her Digimon partner today. After what felt like an eternity of running, which, in reality, was only about five minutes, she finally arrived at the park. "Hi, everyone! I'm ready to go to the Digital World!"

"What kind of Digimon do you think you'll be getting?" Tomoya asked.

"After waiting this long, I'd be happy to even get a Numemon," Mia said with a sigh.

"Well, don't worry; you won't be getting a Numemon," Shibumi said, laughing. Tomoya slid the yellow card through his Digivice, sending everyone to the Digital World. This time, they arrived at a forest, but, unlike the last when they were at, all of the trees were dead, and, despite being daytime in the human world, and the sky looked dark above this forest, making it look rather evil. Instantly, they were greeted by a tall Digimon with six shinning wings.

"Oh, hey, Angemon! Is the Digimon safe?" Shibumi asked.

"Shibumi," Angemon said with a warm smile. "Here she is," Angemon motioned to a small Digimon.

"Hi, my name is Salamon! Which one of you is going to be my human partner?" Salamon asked.

"Oh, Salamon!" Mia exclaimed, picking up her Digimon and squeezing her tight. "You're so cute!"

"Thank you! So, when do we fight?"

"Excuse me?"

"I heard all the Digimon in this group got to fight an evil Digimon! So, when do we get to fight one?" Salamon said excitedly.

"Well, usually when we fought an evil Digimon, there had to be one in the nearby vicinity; otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to fight," Nate said.

"And I'm not sensing any evil Digimon nearby," Angemon said patiently. "I've told you that forty-eight times."

"Looks like we'll just have to go home without fighting, then…" Dalton said.

"Aw, man; I want to fight!" Salamon wailed.

"Don't worry, Salamon; you'll get a chance tomorrow when we all come back here," Mia said.

"Shibumi, do you have anything else for me to do at the moment?" Angemon asked.

"Not really, but if you happen to run into Grademon or one of the others, stay close," Shibumi said seriously. "We don't know what we're dealing with, and it's definitely a very dangerous Digimon."

"I understand," Angemon said, nodding and smiling as Tomoya slid the yellow card through his Digivice, sending everyone back to the human world. Angemon sighed and looked around the forest, thinking he was alone. That is, until…

"Earlier, you said you didn't sense any evil Digimon in the nearby vicinity. Were you lying, or am I losing my…touch of evil?" a Digimon said from behind a tree, making Angemon gasp.

"You know I'm incapable of lying, old friend. And you know I hate terrible puns like that…Devimon," Angemon said as a tall black Digimon stepped out from behind a tree.

"Aw, damn, so I am losing my touch after all," Devimon said remorsefully.

"Oh, come on, Devimon; you and I both know you never really had an 'evil streak' in you," Angemon said. "So, what do you want?"

"Isn't it obvious? Master requested you to rejoin our little group," Devimon said. "Well, actually, he requested I do something else, but I'd rather not have to do that to an old friend, so, I thought I may be able to convince you to rejoin us."

"You know I can't go back, Devimon," Angemon said.

"Come on; if you come back, we can just go back to being one big happy family!"

"No, we _used_ to be 'one big happy family.' That is, until Phelesmon showed up…"

"But, wouldn't it be great to go back to the way we were? You and me, Airdramon…Deltamon…"

"In case you've forgotten, Devimon, Phelesmon turned Deltamon into that hideous creature that ordered you to hunt me down! Think about it; would the old Deltamon have ordered you to so much as to glare at me angrily?"

"Well, no, but…maybe we can find some way to turn him back into Deltamon!" Devimon said hopefully.

"That's impossible; Phelesmon's powers are too strong for us to undo anything he's done to another Digimon! Do you know of the fates of Greymon, Monochromon, Kuwagamon, Garurumon, and Kabuterimon?"

"N…no…" Devimon stammered.

"They were brainwashed by Phelesmon, just like Deltamon was! They were ordered by 'Deltamon' to fight the Digi-Destined, and now they're all dead! Airdramon's the only one that's still alive!" Devimon's legs began to tremble until they gave in, and Devimon fell to his knees. "Knowing that, what are you going to do? Will you still obey his orders, knowing they really come from Phelesmon? Or, will you join me and fight against Phelesmon? Make up your own mind for once, damn it!"

"I…I…can't…deep down, I know he's still the old Deltamon inside!" Devimon shouted.

"You're a fool, Devimon," Angemon said, walking off.

"Wait, don't go! Please, just come back with me!" Devimon pleaded.

"After hearing me say all that, do you _really_ think I'd go back with you to that evil piece of sh-"

"Deltamon's given me orders to kill you."

"That _thing_ is not Deltamon! Stop calling him that!"

"Then what is he supposed to be called? What kind of Digimon is he now?"

"How the hell should I know? I just know that the Deltamon we all used to know is now dead! He's a monster now! He's not our friend!" Devimon's pale face went even paler, and Angemon just shook his head and prepared to take off.

"Wait, Angemon, please! Don't make me do this!" Devimon said desperately.

"You don't have to do something just because that thing that used to be your friend told you to," Angemon said, turning around and flying off. Devimon thrust out his long arm, stabbing Angemon clear through the chest before he had realized he had done it. Once he realized what he had done, he quickly pulled his arm back out, but it was too late; Angemon had died, turning back into data. Devimon stared in horror at what he had done, at his hand now covered and dripping with his friend's blood.

"Oh, god, what…what have I done?" Devimon said, collapsing to the ground once again as tears dripped down his face. "WHAT HAVE I DONE?"


	11. Self Deception

"WHAT HAVE I DONE?" Devimon said, in shock over what he had done to Angemon.

"You murdered him; your best friend. Isn't that obvious?" a voice said from behind Devimon, and when he turned around, he saw that it was Grademon. "This is low, even for a Devimon."

"But, I…I didn't mean to! I was just…trying to stop him from leaving…" Devimon said, trying to stand up.

"No, you weren't."

"What?"

"Sure, some small part of you may have been trying to stop him from leaving, and I believe you truly regret what you did to your friend, but above all else, the only thing you were doing was following your master's orders."

"Grademon, there's no need to be so rough with him," a woman said from behind Grademon.

"I apologize, Sanzomon, but it's the only way to get through to him," Grademon whispered to Sanzomon, then turned back to Devimon. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"What do you mean?" Devimon asked.

"The one ordering you around has just forced you to murder your best friend. Will you still work for him or not? The decision is up to you."

"I…I'm not sure…"

"YOU'RE NOT SURE? YOU'RE BOSS JUST ORDERED YOU TO MURDER YOUR BEST FRIEND, AND YOU'RE STILL CONCIDERING WORKING FOR HIM?" Grademon roared.

"Grademon, this isn't why we're here," Sanzomon said gently, but seriously. "We're not supposed to tell him which side to join, but to help him make up his mind." Sanzomon took Devimon's hand, the one covered in his friend's blood, and placed her hand over it, causing the blood to glow. When the glow disappeared, the blood was still there.

"What did you do?" Devimon asked.

"No matter how hard you may try, that blood will not remove itself from your hand. Whenever you see that hand, you will be reminded of what you did to Angemon," Sanzomon said. "Loyalty is a wonderful virtue to have, Devimon, which is what makes you so special among others of your species. Will you retain this loyalty, and remain working for Deltamon? Or, will you fight against what turned him evil in honor of Angemon's memory? Whatever you decide to do, the blood will remain, so you will never lose your resolve." Sanzomon turned around and began to leave, followed by Grademon. "Always remember, Devimon; you are a living being. You have free will. Make up your mind. Whatever you decide to do, go ahead and do it." Faster than the blink of an eye, Sanzomon began to glow, then vanished; teleporting her and Grademon to another part of the Digital World, leaving Devimon alone to ponder her thoughts alone in the dark forest with his blood stained hand.

* * *

After much thought, Devimon decided to fly back to where his master lived, but, on the way, he ran into his friend, Airdramon. "Devimon, what's wrong?" Airdramon asked. "You were gone for a while, so Deltamon asked me to go search for you."

"Airdramon, Angemon's dead," Devimon said in a voice almost too quiet to hear.

"Angemon? Wow….so that means we're the only two left of our original group, huh?"

"Yes…Airdramon, I…I've been thinking of leaving…"

"Leaving? Why?" Airdramon asked, exasperated.

"Oh, think about it, Airdramon; Deltamon's changed, and I don't mean his appearance! It's like…he Digivolved into a total monster!" Devimon said.

"I don't really know what you mean…he…he seems like the same old Deltamon to me…"

"Stop deceiving yourself, Airdramon!" Devimon said, showing him his blood stained claw. "This blood…it's Angemon's." Airdramon gasped. "Deltamon ordered me to kill him!"

"That…that can't be!" Airdramon said.

"He ordered me to kill our friend, Airdramon! That's why…I have to leave. I'm going to search for a Digimon who can either undo what Phelesmon did to Deltamon, or destroy Phelesmon once and for all. And Airdramon…if you truly had fun, way back in the day when Deltamon was his same, harmless self…you'll leave too." Devimon turned around, preparing to fly away from Airdramon. _I finally understand what Grademon and Angemon were trying to tell me. Staying with Deltamon, even out of loyalty…that was just mindless self-deception. Well, no more! It's time for me to take action!_

"Devimon!" Airdramon called out after him, making him stop. "If you really want to undo what's been done to Deltamon, then, you should go to the human world. That old human named Shibumi that was with those Digidestined, I'm sure he knows something. Go see him."

"But…we're incapable of going to the human world!"

"Not totally incapable. Master just now gave me the power to travel between both worlds, so I shall give this power to you, my friend," Airdramon said as both he and Devimon began to glow with a golden light.

"Airdramon…thank you…" Devimon said, glowing a bright gold as he transported to the human world. When he got there, he arrived in the same park, near where Shibumi was waiting patiently for the Digidestined to arrive. "Excuse me, but…" Devimon said awkwardly, walking up to Shibumi, startling the old man when he saw the Digimon. "Have you not been going to the Digital World?"

"Uh…maybe?"

"Then that must mean you're Shibumi!" Devimon said excitedly.

"Yes, that's what I go by," Shibumi said, confused.

"Sir, I apologize, but you're going to have to come with me," Devimon said, grabbing Shibumi's arm and placing the hand that didn't have blood on it over his mouth, and, after glowing bright gold, transported the both of them to the Digital World.


	12. A Brief Exchange of Words and Friends

"Devimon, what do you want with me?" Shibumi asked calmly.

"You seem rather calm despite being kidnapped by…someone like me," Devimon said. _How does he know my name?_

"Well, if you intended to harm me, your grip would be a lot tighter, and those claws of yours would probably be digging into my arm. Plus, when you spoke to me in the human world, your voice didn't sound…condescending. More like…desperately, like you need my help with something." Devimon grinned slightly.

"You're right; I do need your help with something. My friend, Deltamon, he got turned evil by a Digimon called Phelesmon. That's why I need you; you somehow know about us Digimon, so you must know a way to turn Deltamon back to the way he was!"

"I'm sorry, Devimon. Once another Digimon has turned another one evil, the only one who can undo it is that evil Digimon. It would be different if he were under the control of a virus."

"Then, there's nothing that can be done, since that evil Phelesmon will never undo what he did!"

"There is a chance that defeating him in battle might work."

"What do you mean?"

"You know how whenever a Digimon is destroyed, it will turn back into a Digi-Egg, right? When he gets reborn, he possibly won't be evil anymore, unless someone absorbs his data after he gets defeated, or smashes his Digi-Egg."

"But…he's so powerful! Who could possibly defeat him?" Devimon asked.

"The Digi-Destined kids can defeat him. If all seven of them work together, then they could surely defeat Deltamon!"

"…I see. Thank you for your help, Shibumi, though I do have a few more questions for you."

"Ask away," Shibumi said with a smile.

"I…I'd like some help defeating Phelesmon as well. Do you think those kids would be able to pull it off?"

"As much as I would like for them to, since he is currently a threat to the Digital World, their Digimon are not able to Digivolve to or fight off an Ultimate level Digimon."

"There is a way," an evil-sounding voice said, and suddenly, what appeared to be a portal spontaneously appeared before Devimon and Shibumi, and from came an enormous Digimon. "Pardon the intrusion; the name is Arkadimon, and I myself am an Ultimate level Digimon."

"Y…you said there was a way for the kids to defeat Ultimate level Digimon?" Shibumi said suspiciously, but Arkadimon ignored him and turned to Devimon.

"So, is it set in stone that you will get those kids to defeat Deltamon in order for him to be reborn?" Arkadimon asked, and Devimon nodded. "And after that, you will tell them about Phelesmon, right?" Devimon nodded again. "Excellent. I know the secret for them to defeat Ultimate Digimon, and I will tell it to you to pass on to them…for a price, of course."

"What do you want?" Devimon asked Arkadimon, who turned to Shibumi.

"I think your human friend will make for a nice payment," Arkadimon said, narrowing his eyes.

"Me? What do you want with me?" Shibumi asked.

"That is not for you to know. If you wish for those kids to defeat Deltamon and Phelesmon, then you will come with me," Arkadimon said, holding out his hand, which Shibumi took after a few seconds. "Phelesmon is in possession of seven artifacts that he has given to his minions. If those kids manage to get them, then their Digimon will be able to Digivolve to the Ultimate level. As for defeating Deltamon…well, I'm sure they'll have no problem purifying your friend. Now, if you'll excuse me…" Arkadimon summoned his portal once again.

"Wait! I have one more question for Shibumi!" Devimon said, and they both turned around. "How is it that you know so much about us Digimon?"

"It's very simple; I was a part of the group that created all of you," Shibumi said.

_Excellent! It's just as the boss said!_ Arkadimon thought. If he had a mouth, he would have been grinning evilly.

"Also, don't worry about your friend Angemon; from what I've heard from friends, you didn't absorb his data, meaning he will be reborn one day," Shibumi called out as Arkadimon dragged him through the portal.

"Don't forget to tell those kids what I told you as soon as you see them," Arkadimon said as he entered his portal, which disappeared when he entered it, leaving Devimon all alone once again.

* * *

"Do we get to go to the Digital World today?" Mia's Digimon, Nyaromon, said.

"Yes; all we need to do is find Shibumi," Tomoya said.

"Oh boy! I can't wait to finally fight some evil Digimon!" Nyaromon said, leaping into Mia's arms.

"Why do we need to find Shibumi?" Emerilla asked. "We all have our Digimon partners now, so there's really no point in him coming with us."

"Technically there isn't, but it just wouldn't feel right going without him," Tomoya said.

"Plus, he said he'd be going with us today," Theo said.

"Oh, all right!" Emerilla snapped, picking up Moonmon and leaving, soon followed by the others. After around two minutes, they arrived at the place where they normally met Shibumi, only to discover that he wasn't there. "Oh, too bad! Looks like we'll have to go without him, then!"

"Don't be ridiculous! I'm sure he'll be here any minute!" Tomoya said impatiently.

"I'm afraid he won't be joining you today," a voice said from behind a tree.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Emerilla shouted.

"As you wish," the voice said. The body it belonged to stepped out from behind the tree,

"No way! It can't be!" Nate said, rather horrified.

"Devimon?" Tomoya asked in shock.

"Yes, that is my name," Devimon said.

"What do you mean Shibumi isn't coming with us today?" Theo asked.

"He is already in the Digital World, taken there by me."

"What? Why did you do that? What do you want with Shibumi?" Nate asked.

"Well, nothing anymore; it's actually what I need from you, and what I need is help."


	13. The Beginning of the End

"Did I hear him right?" Nate asked. "A _Devimon_, one of the most evil Digimon in the entire Digital World, is asking _us_ for _help_?"

"What do you need help with?" Theo asked.

"My friend was turned evil by a Digimon called Phelesmon, so I need you guys to fight him and defeat him, so he'll turn back into a Digi-Egg and become purified," Devimon said.

"A friend of _yours_ turned evil? How is that possible?" Emerilla exclaimed. "If he was a friend of yours, wouldn't he already be evil?"

"Just because I am a Devimon does not make me evil," Devimon said patiently.

"I don't trust you in the slightest, Devimon!" Nate said.

"Frankly, I don't care whether you trust me or not, but is it not your duty as Digidestined to defeat any evil Digimon?"

"You mean like _you_?" Nate threatened. Devimon stared blankly at Nate, completely unthreatened by what he had just said.

"If he's telling us the truth, then it would be something to consider, wouldn't it?" Mia asked.

"And he is right, after all; we are the Digidestined, so, if his master is evil, then we need to defeat him," Theo said.

"When you beat him, don't load his data like you normally would," Devimon said sternly.

"Don't worry, we heard you say you wanted him to be purified; we'll be careful!" DemiMeramon said happily. "Tomoya, I trust this guy! Let's help him out!"

"You trust this guy? But…he's evil!" Tomoya said.

"I'm not so sure about that; sure, he LOOKS evil, but, traveling with all of you has taught me not to judge by appearances! Tomoya, YOU look like a total dumbass, and your kind of an asshole, but really, you're not…sometimes…"

"Oh, all right…HEY, WAIT A MINUTE!"

"Tomoya, just take us all to the Digital World so we can get this over with!" Emerilla said.

"Fine," Tomoya muttered, sliding the yellow card through his Digivice, sending everyone to the Digital World. When they arrived, they found Grademon standing right in front of them.

"I've been expecting you, Digidestined," Grademon said kindly, then turned to Devimon. "So, have you made up your mind yet?"

"Yes; I've decided to help the Digidestined out, even though they don't believe me," Devimon said.

"I can't say that I blame you for not trusting Devimon immediately," Grademon said to the Digidestined. "However, I promise you this; Devimon is a trustworthy Digimon. He's been through a lot, so try not to be too hard on him."

"Speak for yourself!" Devimon laughed. "When we met a while ago, you were about ready to pounce on me! What caused the change in attitude?"

"My dear mistress Sanzomon. Whatever she wishes to be done, I am…obliged to do it for her. And now, she wants you to be treated with more kindness, so that is what I am doing."

"Would you still be saying this even if I had chosen to fight against the Digidestined?" Devimon asked.

"You'd be surprised; Miss Sanzomon has quite a large heart with enough love for all living things, be they good or evil."

"'A large hart,' eh? Well, it was that large heart that left my hand forever stained with the blood of my best friend!" Devimon showed his right hand, covered in dark red blood.

"Please, don't misunderstand," Grademon said. "She only did that so-"

"You know, I really don't care about why that bitch decided to do that; I'm really only here to avenge Angemon and Deltamon," Devimon said. "That alone should be enough to clean my mind and my hand, right?"

"If that's what you truly believe, then you've joined this fight for the wrong reason!" Grademon said, raising his voice. "She didn't do what she did just to teach you a lesson, or to punish you, or anything of the sort! She even told you _why_ she did it! Don't you remember?" Devimon just stood there, glaring at Grademon. "She did it so you could always remember why you're doing whatever it is you've chosen to do, so you would never lose your resolve! Got it memorized?" Devimon still said nothing. "Come on, Digidestined; we can defeat that Deltamon all by ourselves!" Grademon walked past Devimon, followed by the Digidestined and their Digimon.

* * *

"Grademon, do you know where you're going?" Nate asked. "We're not just wandering aimlessly to find Deltamon, are we?"

"Actually, no; we've received information from a friend that Deltamon is in this area, so stay on your guard everyone," Grademon said. After about ten minutes of walking, they decided to take a break.

"Tomoya, what's wrong?" Mia asked, sitting next to him.

"I'm not sure…Deltamon's only a Champion level Digimon, but if all of us need to be there to destroy him, including Grademon, then I've got a really bad feeling about this upcoming battle," Tomoya said.

"Come on, you've seen me fight before! Remember how easily I took out that Greymon?" Candlemon asked.

"Tomoya is correct; this Deltamon we're going after is under the influences of incredibly powerful and evil Digimon, so he undoubtedly has some additional power from Phelesmon," Grademon said. Suddenly, a powerful flame came from the sky and struck the ground next to the ground next to the Digidestined, completely obliterating it and forming a massive crater.

"What did that? Was it Deltamon?" Nate asked.

"No, that was a flame, and Deltamon don't use flame attacks. This must've come from something else," Grademon said. Suddenly, the sky began to darken as more and more dark clouds blocked the sun. A rather violent breeze blew across the land as something began to come through the clouds. "He's coming."

"Who is it?" Theo asked. "Is Deltamon coming?"

"It's not Deltamon anymore. Everyone, get ready!" Grademon said to the other Digimon, and everyone's Digivice, except for Mia's, began to glow.

"Candlemon Digivolve to, Wizardmon!"

"Agumon Digivolve to, Tyrannomon!"

"Tapirmon Digivolve to, Unimon!"

"Lunamon Digivolve to, Lekismon!"

"Betamon Digivolve to, Seadramon!"

"Hawkmon Digivolve to, Thunderbirdmon!"

Whatever was coming from the clouds now had its giant feet on the ground, but most if its body was still in the clouds.

"How big is that thing, whatever it is?" Nate asked. "And what is it, for that matter?"

"I shall clear the clouds away!" Thunderbirdmon said, flying up, and then flapped his giant wings, clearing the dark clouds away, revealing the monstrous Digimon was about as tall as a mountain.

"I don't believe it," Tomoya said breathlessly.

"The Deltamon we were all talking about," Nate said. "It Digivolved!"

"I should've guessed; that much dark influence, of course Deltamon would have Digivolved to the next level! He's now Kimeramon!"


	14. Death Viper

"I should've guessed; that much dark influence, of course Deltamon would have Digivolved to the next level! He's now Kimeramon!" Grademon said.

"Aw, he doesn't look so tough I'm sure with all of us working together, we could beat him effortlessly!" Tyrannomon said. Kimeramon roared ferociously as he smacked Thunderbirdmon with his left Devimon arm, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Thunderbirdmon!" Theo exclaimed.

"Don't worry, Theo; I am uninjured," Thunderbirdmon said, standing back up almost instantly.

"Everyone, attack him at the same time! Magical Game!"

"Blaze Blast!"

"Aerial Attack!"

"Tear Arrow!"

"Ice Blast!"

"Spark Wing!" the six attacks struck him in the chest, but he didn't even flinch.

"Allow me to help; Cross Blade!"

"HEAT VIPER!" Kimeramon unleashed a stream of flames from his mouth at Grademon, slamming him to the ground before he could attack. The dark clouds that seemingly appeared with Kimeramon began to rumble, and a giant bolt of lightning struck the ground between Kimeramon and the Digidestined.

"This is dangerous; if we don't end this fight soon, we could get struck by lightning!" Theo muttered.

"Actually, these clouds could be quite the advantage for us," Wizardmon said. "Remember how I beat Greymon?" Theo's eyes widened, but he began to smile once he realized Wizardmon's plan.

"Give it all you got!"

"I intend to; Electro Squall!" all of the dark clouds, plus an additional one that Wizardmon summoned above Kimeramon's head, unleashed an immensely powerful bolt of lightning that struck Kimeramon, making him howl in pain.

"I hope that hurt, you freak!" Nate said in disgust, remembering what the Kimeramon did on the Digimon TV show.

"This attack should be enough to finish him off!" Grademon said, leaping into the air, preparing to strike Kimeramon with his blades, but just before he managed to do so, to blades of air came from nowhere, aimed at Grademon. Grademon blocked them with his own swords, protecting him, but the force of the attack was enough to send him back down to the ground.

"What did that? I don't see any other Digimon around," Lekismon said.

"I think we have another unwanted guest nearby," Unimon said, staring seemingly at a cloud. "Aerial Attack!" Unimon fired a blast of energy from her mouth at the cloud, causing an explosion that made the cloud disappear, revealing a Digimon. "I knew it; Airdramon's here!"

"Damn it, now you've gone and ruined my surprise," Airdramon said. _I'm sorry, Devimon…I just couldn't abandon Deltamon like that, even if he no longer is Deltamon…_ "Spinning Needle!" Airdramon unleashed a stream of dark flames from his mouth while spinning, trapping Grademon in a ring of flames. The other Digimon attempted to rush over to deal with Airdramon, but they were stopped when Kimeramon attacked them all with a Heat Viper. Airdramon swooped down low and prepared to attack just as Mia's Digivice began to glow.

"Well, it's about freaking time! I've been waiting ages to fight someone!" Salamon said, leaping out of Mia's arms. "Salamon Digivolve to, Darcmon!"

"Of course, it figures another Digimon would show up to protect the lot of you!" Airdramon muttered. "Well, if I go down fighting you, I shall die with no regrets!" Airdramon roared, charging toward Darcmon.

"Dancing Sword!" Darcmon flew up and struck Airdramon between the eyes with her sword, instantly killing him. "Well, now that he's out of the way, I can help kill that monstrosity!" Darcmon said, flying toward Kimeramon.

"HEAT VIPER!"

"Shine Barrier!" Darcmon's staff began to glow with an intense light, creating a barrier that protected her from Kimeramon's attack. "Now, Wizardmon; while he's busy attacking me! Attack!"

"Electro Squall!" Wizardmon summoned another cloud above Kimeramon's head that fired a powerful bolt of lightning from it, along with all the other clouds, making him shriek in pain.

"Now, everyone; attack him while he's weakened!" Darcmon said, using her staff to extinguish the flames that surrounded Grademon.

"Magical Game!"

"Blaze Blast!"

"Aerial Attack!"

"Ice Blast!"

"Tear Arrow!"

"Spark Wing!" all the attacks struck Kimeramon once again.

"Now, to finish this bastard off! Dancing Sword!"

"Cross Blade!" Darcmon and Grademon attempted to strike down Kimeramon with their swords, but his flailing four arms made it nearly impossible to get close to him. His SkullGreymon arm struck Darcmon across the back, sending her plummeting to the ground as well as turning back into Salamon as Grademon got struck by a Kuwagamon arm, with the same thing happening to him (except he didn't turn into a Salamon.)

"HEAT VIPER!" Kimeramon aimed his attack at the Digidestined, but the other Digimon blocked the attack, making them all turn back into their Rookie level. Kimeramon then walked slowly up to the Digidestined.

"I'VE WAITED…LONG ENOUGH…FOR YOUR DESTRUCTION! HEAT VIPER!"

"Death Hand!" a beam of black energy came from nowhere and collided with Kimeramon's attack, sending it backward several feet.

"Is that…Devimon?" Nate exclaimed.

"He's…helping us?" Emerilla shouted. Devimon gradually flew closer to Kimeramon, using his Death Hand attack to continue pushing back Kimeramon's Heat Viper.

"Grademon…I'm going to need some help here!" Devimon said, barely dodging the Kuwagamon claw.

"At your service! Cross Blade!" Grademon said, sneaking up behind Kimeramon, swing his sword as hard as he could, slicing off Kimeramon's four arms, making them turn back into data, which Devimon absorbed. "I'm glad you decided to make it, Devimon. But, why did you absorb the data of those arms?"

"I needed more strength for what I'm about to do!" Devimon said as the power of his Death Hand attack increased, sending Kimeramon's own attack closer and closer to him. "I'm sorry…Deltamon. Please, forgive me!" Devimon said as he flew closer to the armless Kimeramon and increased the strength of the Death Hand to maximum power, pushing the Heat Viper into Kimeramon's face. Then, Devimon's attack hit him, outlining him with a black aura, preventing him from moving.

"How long will he stay like that?" Grademon asked.

"As long as I need. That will give me plenty of time to figure out how to defeat him," Devimon said.

"No, Devimon; I'll finish him off. Killing one friend is too much, I couldn't let you go through killing two," Grademon said.

"I'll be fine. I appreciate what you're trying to do, but please; stay out of my way," Devimon said, walking up to Kimeramon.

"I didn't want to have to insult you, but I'm really the only one here who's strong enough to finish off Kimeramon; you're only a Champion, but we're both Ultimate's! I know I could do it!"

"Are you so sure? When I absorbed the data of his arms, I also got data of his attack," Devimon said calmly. "By amplifying its strength with my own attack, it should be enough to defeat him."

"Why don't you want me to do it?" Grademon asked.

"He's my friend; I should be the one to free him. That, and," Devimon turned around to face Grademon. "I thought about what you said to me, about why I joined this fight. Originally, it was for revenge on Phelesmon, but now I truly wish to protect the Digital World, and I'll start right now! Death Viper!" Devimon fired Kimeramon's Heat Viper from his hands, though it was outlined with the black aura of his Death Hand, and fired it straight through Kimeramon's chest. At that time, Kimeramon regained movement, but he was too weak to fight back.

"DEVIMON…WHY DID YOU BETRAY ME?" Kimeramon asked weakly.

"That Digimon, Phelesmon, turned you into a mindless brute, Deltamon, and then he brainwashed everyone except for me, who he mistook for already being evil, and Airdramon, who wasn't there at the time. It's really because of Phelesmon that you ordered me and the others to do what we did, and I simply could not tolerate it anymore."

"BUT…"

"As Kimeramon, I see you as nothing more than Phelesmon, instead of the Deltamon I knew, so really, I never betrayed anyone except…except for Angemon…"

"DEVIMON…THANK YOU…FOR FREEING ME FROM PHELESMON'S CONTROL…" Kimeramon began to glow, and suddenly, he shrunk, De-Digivolving into a blue dinosaur about the same height as Devimon.

"Deltamon…" Devimon said sadly.

"Don't worry, my friend…I shall be reborn, me and Angemon and Airdramon. But, for now, you'll have to live with being the only one of our little group for a little while…" Deltamon said, smiling as he began to slowly turn into data.

"Well, technically, there is another. Remember SkullGreymon? He left a long time ago, long before any of this happened, simply because he was bored and wanted more violence in his life," Devimon said laughing.

"Of course, I forgot all about him…" Deltamon said, laughing with Devimon. "I'll see you soon, my friend." Deltamon turned completely into data, which headed off somewhere without being absorbed.

"Yes…you will be reborn as the old Deltamon, not Phelesmon's puppet."


	15. Making Plans

"I'll see you soon…Deltamon…" Devimon whispered as the data of his friend flew off.

"Devimon, I'm sorry for not trusting you earlier," Tomoya said.

"That's all right, I completely understand, being a Devimon and all," Devimon said.

"So, does this mean the Digital World is safe now? We don't have to do anything else now to protect it?" Dalton asked.

"Dalton, you can't be serious!" Betamon exclaimed. "Don't you remember what Devimon said about Kimeramon?"

"Oh, yeah…he was turned evil by another Digimon or something…" Dalton said with a yawn.

"And let's not forget that we have to look for Shibumi!" Mia said.

"Devimon said he was the one who brought Shibumi to the Digital World," Theo said, then turned to Devimon. "Where did you leave him?"

"And why did you bring him here in the first place?" Nate asked.

"Please, don't misunderstand," Devimon said. _Some of them are starting to lose their trust in me! I might have to lie about what happened to him in order to get what I want…_

"If you had brought him here with good intentions, wouldn't he be here right now?" Nate asked.

"Nate, calm down!" Mia said. "We're not going to find anything out if we keep interrupting him!"

"So, Devimon, why did you bring Shibumi here?" Tomoya asked.

"I brought him here to see if he knew a way to turn Deltamon back to the way he was, but…he did not."

"Ok, I'm not going to sit on my ass and listen to this kidnapper; I'm going to go look for Shibumi all on my own!" Nate said, turning around.

"Now you're talking! I'm sure that we can find him in no time, just the two of us!" Agumon said happily.

"Wait, please; don't be too hard on Devimon!" Grademon said. "I know it may be hard to believe, but he really is telling the truth!"

"You can go if you want, Nathan, and I won't stop you," Devimon said. "But it's not going to be easy to get Shibumi back from Phelesmon." Nate stopped and turned around.

"Phelesmon? You mean, that Digimon that turned all your friends evil?"

"Yes; he had just told me the only way to turn Kimeramon back into Deltamon when Phelesmon came and snatched him up."

"So all we have to do is beat that Phelesmon, right? Shouldn't be too hard!" Agumon said happily before tripping over a rock, causing him to fall down.

"Think so? Phelesmon is an Ultimate level Digimon like Kimeramon; there's no way you could beat him all on your own, much less with the others…ordinarily," Devimon said to Agumon.

"Ordinarily? Does that mean you know of some way we can beat Phelesmon?" Theo asked suspiciously.

"Correct; Phelesmon is in possession of seven artifacts, which he has given to his most powerful henchmen. If you manage to get a hold of them, your Digimon will be able to Digivolve to the Ultimate level."

"All right, so where does this Phelesmon live?" Tomoya asked.

"Hold on; how do we know he's telling the truth?" Emerilla asked. "He is a Devimon, after all!"

"He was right about Kimeramon, wasn't he?" Tomoya asked. "Besides, we can't take the chance of not trusting him. It would be a lot better to go and have nothing be there than to not go and there actually be something there, right?"

"Besides, we don't really have any reason NOT to trust him, right?" Candlemon asked. "He was right about his friend, and he helped us kill him! So, I'm choosing to trust him again! So, where does Phelesmon live?"

"He lives several thousand miles away from here in a rock-filled wasteland plagued with many sandstorms," Devimon said. "Do not underestimate this Digimon in any way; although he may be about the same height as a human adult, his power is much more powerful than even Kimeramon's."

"Well, we won't have anything to worry about as long as we can Digivolve to the same level as him, right?" Tomoya asked.

"We may not have fought to well against Kimeramon, but that's only because we were lower levels than he was! So you don't need to worry about us, Devimon!" Candlemon said.

"…Very well, then. I wish you luck in your battle," Devimon said.

"You can also count on my help as well, children," Grademon said.

"We would be most honored to have thy assistance, Grademon," Hawkmon said.

"See you tomorrow!" Tomoya said, sliding the yellow card through his Digivice, sending everyone back to the human world.

"Why did you lie to those kids about Shibumi?" Grademon asked once they were all gone.

"Well, aren't we perceptive? How could you tell I was lying?" Devimon asked.

"Answer my question."

"Well, the truth is a Digimon called Arkadimon has taken Shibumi in exchange for information on how to defeat Phelesmon."

"Why did you have to lie to them about that? If Arkadimon's an evil Digimon, then-"

"We have absolutely no proof of that, Grademon. All we know for sure is that Phelesmon is evil, and he must be destroyed. If I had told them about Arkadimon, they would've tried to track him down first instead of Phelesmon."

"You don't know that for sure, Devimon! For all you know, you could've given the most important human in either world to the most evil Digimon in this one!"

"Like I said, we have no proof Arkadimon is evil, and we know for sure that Phelesmon is. Furthermore, we also know where Phelesmon is! Doesn't it make more sense to look for the Digimon when you know its exact location?"

"I suppose, but then…why did you have to lie to them?"

"I know how people like that think; if I had told them about Arkadimon, they would've just gone off looking for him and probably end up getting lost, instead of looking for Phelesmon."

"Ok, ok, I get it. I promise not to say a word of this conversation to the kids tomorrow. Do you…feel up to joining us in our search?"

"I would, but…I just need to think about everything that's happened…to Angemon and Deltamon. But I will tell you where exactly Phelesmon lives…"

* * *

"Man, I can't wait to beat up on that evil Digimon tomorrow!" Koromon said.

"First, we have to find those things Devimon told us about; you may not get to fight Phelesmon tomorrow," Nate said.

"It might take us days just to get to where we need," Theo said. "Also, I'm not sure we can depend on the yellow card to send us to the same exact location we just were the previous day now that we all have our Digimon."

"What are you trying to say?" Mia asked nervously.

"Well, seeing as how we all have our Digimon, I highly doubt the yellow card would just take us to wherever we want it to. Tomoya, what was going through your mind this morning when you sent us to the Digital World, or any other time for that matter?"

"Well, this morning I was kind of hoping it would take us right to Devimon's friend, but we were several miles off," Tomoya said.

"Exactly my point. If we have to keep coming back to this world, only to use the yellow card to take us to a completely different area in the Digital World the next day, this could take months!"

"Please don't say what I think you're going to say," Mia said, shaking her head.

"In order for this to take as little times as possible, we're all going to have to agree on one thing; we don't return until Phelesmon is dead."

"What's wrong with all of this taking a long time?" Mia asked.

"If we take our time, then who knows what other kinds of evil Digimon are just going to pop up while we're focusing on this one Digimon! The less time it takes for Phelesmon to be destroyed, the better chance we have of defeating any other evil Digimon before they all decide to unite into one giant army!"

"Not a pretty thought," Tomoya muttered.

"Theo, you're right about how much time it will take if we keep coming back here, but how would we pull it off? It's not like we can just go up to our parents and say, 'Hello, Mom and Dad! We're going into a different dimension so we can kill some monsters!'" Nate said.

"Maybe we could," Tomoya said. "It's not like they're unfamiliar with it or anything!"

"So what if they're familiar with it? That doesn't mean they know it's a real place!" Emerilla said.

"Well, what do you suggest we do? There's no way we can stay in the Digital World for like, a month! People will notice! We need a good excuse!"

"Perhaps I could be of assistance?" a man's voice said. Everyone turned around to see blond man wearing shades.


	16. The Leader of Hypnos

"What are you talking about? Are you able to help us in some way?" Nate asked.

"Those are Digimon with you, right?" the man asked, ignoring Nate.

"How did you know that? Who are you?" Tomoya asked.

"My name is Mitsuo Yamaki, and I have had somewhat of an encounter with the Digimon twenty years ago."

"You mean Digimon have been here before now?" Theo asked. "Was it like on the TV show?"

"I guess you could say that," Yamaki said hesitantly. "I am not at liberty to go into full detail about how I know about the Digimon, so I'll tell you why I'm here. When the Digimon appeared in this world twenty years ago, I was in charge of an agency called Hypnos that used to monitor the electronic communications all over the world. As Digimon are made of data, therefore being somewhat electronic themselves, my agency was able to detect their emergence into this world, but, unfortunately, they were unable to do anything to stop them when they entered, so it was up to a small group of children with their Digimon partners to stop them from doing anything."

"Wow, that's amazing! I never would have guessed that Digimon have been in this city before!" Mia said.

"There's one thing I don't understand, though," Theo said. "Some of our parents were alive twenty years ago, right? Why didn't they tell us anything?"

"The fact that Digimon were coming this world were kept secret from the public so as not to cause a panic," Yamaki said quickly.

"I guess that makes sense," Theo said begrudgingly as Yamaki sighed quietly in relief as the stubborn child accepted his response.

"You said you would be able to help us, right? How are you going to do that?" Emerilla asked.

"By giving you this," Yamaki said, tossing a small device at Tomoya, who caught it. "It's a Comm Device, the very same one I lent to the first children who went to the Digital World. Use it to stay in contact with me and my team in case we can help you out in any way. I also recently added an upgrade to it that will display a detailed map of the Digital World wherever you are."

"Cool, this'll help a lot! Thank you, sir!" Nate said.

"Just make sure you don't die while you're there; I don't want to have to be the one to tell all of your parents something's happened to you."

"Mr. Yamaki, I have a question," Mia said quietly. "We might have to stay in the Digital World for a long time, so I was wondering if you could help us think of a way to tell our parent where we'll be."

"That is, if they'll let us go," Theo said. "Since we all have to go to school, it will be difficult for them to let us go."

"Yeah, never mind the fact that there are giant monsters there that could eat us in a single bite!" Nate exclaimed. "I'm not even going to bother telling my parents, because I know they'll say no! I'll just run away and come with you guys anyway!"

"That is not a wise decision, Nathan," Yamaki said coolly. "You need to tell them where you'll be going."

"But…they'll say no, and then it'll be even harder for me to join up with the rest of these guys so I can go with them!"

"You are at least somewhat acquainted with the first kids who went to the Digital World. Do you know how they managed to convince their parents to let them traverse to the Digital World?" Theo asked.

"All they did was tell them," Yamaki said. "Although, I believe there was one kid who told his parents that he was going on a school field trip…"

"Cool, that's what I'm doing!" Nate said.

"I think there was also a girl who got her Digimon partner to tell her father she was going to the Digital World," Yamaki said, but Nate didn't hear him.

"It wouldn't matter if the ruler of the world told them to let us go, they still won't let us go to the Digital World!" Emerilla said.

"Maybe they would; after all, didn't they all grow up watching Digimon like us?" Tomoya asked.

"The only thing that could possibly help us with is that we won't have to explain too much about the Digimon!" Emerilla shouted.

"Trust me, some of your parents will be more sympathetic than you might think," Yamaki said.

"Ok, let's say, theoretically, that you are correct, and _some_ of our parents will be sympathetic. What about those of us who don't have sympathetic parents?" Nate asked.

"The original kids didn't exactly have it easy, either. Trust me; if you explain well enough, in the end, they will let you go."

"I still don't know; my parents don't know too much about the Digimon; it's going to be difficult to explain," Mia said.

"Don't worry, Mia; I can help you explain!" Nyaromon said enthusiastically. "The easier this is, the sooner I'll get back to fighting!"

"Yeah, I can help explain, too!" Koromon said.

"We can all help you explain to your parents! Don't worry; we'll get the job done!" DemiMeramon said.

"Thanks, DemiMeramon; I don't know what I'd do without you," Tomoya said.

"I'll meet you all here tomorrow at about 5 p.m. to see you off. Is that acceptable?" Yamaki asked. "All right, I wish you luck on your journey." Yamaki turned to walk away, and then stopped. "One thing I forgot to mention; there is a Digimon loose in the town that I've been trying to track down. It's giving off a small signal, so I'm assuming it isn't very powerful, but it is very fast, and is constantly on the move, making it nearly impossible to track down. I'm only assuming it isn't very powerful based on the small signal it gives off, but, all the same, I'd like for you all to proceed with caution while walking home, and if you see it, try to avoid fighting it."

"Do you know what kind of Digimon it is?" Tomoya asked.

"The only thing we know about it is that it has never been to the same place twice, so we can assume it's trying to locate something, but what that something is, we can't even begin to guess."

"Ok, well, thank you for all your help, sir; we'll see you tomorrow!" Tomoya said, running off toward his home.


	17. The Previous Tamers

A/N: This chapter will only follow Tomoya, Dalton, Emerilla, and Lilac, as they are the only chosen children to have parents that appeared in Tamers (even if Dalton's parents don't actually show up in this chapter :P) Enjoy! (I just realized that this sequel is twenty years after Digimon Tamers, and both Dalton and Emerilla are 16…which is how old Rika, Ryo, and Kai would have all been… ._. I did not mean to have that happen, but I guess it's too late to have it changed…also, Takato, Jeri, Henry, and Alice would have all been 20 when their kids were born (which isn't that young, but still kind of young.) I just didn't want this story to be any longer than 20 years, because then Shibumi and Yamaki would both be really old (Shibumi would, not too sure about Yamaki, though.) I hope you like long, dialogue-filled chapters, because that's all this one is.

* * *

"I can't wait to meet your parents, Lilac! If they're anything like you, I'm sure I'll like them!" Tsunomon said happily.

"My mom's probably more like me than my dad is," Lilac said quietly. "She's quiet and looks exactly like me, and she's really shy, but my dad's not shy at all, although he is pretty laid back…" Lilac opened the doors of the big apartment building she lived in and walked in.

"Shouldn't you hide me or something? I don't want to accidentally scare anyone," Tsunomon said.

"All right," Lilac said, looking around the lobby to see if anyone was looking, and saw that nobody was. "I don't think it's going to matter much, but I can put you in my backpack if you'd like…"

"I think that would be best; that way, you can keep me hidden until you're ready to show me to your parents!" Tsunomon said as Lilac opened up her backpack and placed him in it, then ran as fast as she could to the elevator, going inside it and going up to the floor her home was on. After a few minutes, she arrived, then quickly walked to her door and entered her home.

"Hello, Lilac; dinner's almost ready," Alice said from the kitchen.

"Did you have a good day with your friends?" Henry asked from the living room.

"Yes, I did; we actually ran into your boss at the park we like to hang out at," Lilac said.

"Oh, Yamaki, huh? Was he able to recognize you?" Henry asked. "After all, it's been about ten years since he's seen you last."

"No, I was too nervous to say anything, but I was able to recognize his name," Lilac said timidly.

"Well, I wouldn't have been surprised if he had recognized you; he's very observant," Alice said. "He told us a little about Hypnos, too."

"He did? That's…weird," Henry said with a strange look on his face. "What did he have to say?"

"Well, he told us all about how Hypnos used to monitor electronic communications all over the world, and he was the one who made it all, and…" Lilac's expression suddenly became grim (well, more grim than usual.)

"Lilac, what's wrong? Are you ok?" Henry asked.

"Yes…Mr. Yamaki told us about what happened twenty years ago."

"W…what happened twenty years ago?" Henry asked as his face went pale.

"Exactly twenty years ago, Digimon appeared in this city. Real live Digimon."

"But…that's impossible! Digimon's only a card game and a TV show and-"

"And they're also living things, dad," Lilac said softly.

"That can't be! Digimon are real – I mean not real!" _Wow, got a little too used to saying that back in the day!_

"They're real, dad," Lilac said, putting down and opening her backpack, taking out Tsunomon.

"No way…Tsunomon?!" Henry exclaimed.

"Hello, Lilac's dad; it's an honor to meet you. Lilac's told me so many wonderful things about the two of you," Tsunomon said, looking at Henry and Alice. "I hope my presence doesn't inconvenience either of you in any way."

"No way…this just can't be real!" Henry said, getting up to take a closer look at Tsunomon.

"They're here again…" Alice said sadly.

"You both knew?" Lilac asked.

"I think we should tell her," Alice said, and Henry nodded.

"What did Yamaki tell you about the Digimon appearing twenty years ago?" Henry asked.

"He said he helped out a group of children who were all partnered with Digimon," Lilac said. "He didn't tell us who they were, though." Henry smiled.

"He really respected our wishes, didn't he?" Alice asked.

"Yeah…Lilac, there's something we need to tell you. We were those children you were told about…we both had Digimon partners," Henry said.

"Are you…being serious?" Lilac asked. "Where are they? Why didn't you tell me you had them earlier?!"

"To be honest, I never technically had a Digimon partner, but I did escort a Dobermon to your father and his friends to help him out," Alice said sadly.

"There were so many terrible things that happened throughout our adventures. A lot of good friends of ours died…" Henry said, thinking of Leomon. "The final Digimon we fought together with our Digimon was in this world, and when it was defeated, our Digimon just suddenly went back to the Digital World, and we haven't seen them since. It was a unanimous decision among all of us to not tell you about what happened."

"But, why? Why didn't you tell us anything?" Lilac asked.

"We just wanted to protect all of you from the sadness…we didn't want you to have to go through anything that we did. I'm sorry, Lilac…"

"It's all right, Dad, I'm not mad," Lilac said. "What Digimon were you partnered with?"

"I had a Terriermon for my Digimon partner. Not too surprising, huh?"

"I can't think of a better Digimon for you to be partnered with, especially when you consider its Digivolution is used in all of your decks when we play."

"So, how long have you had this Tsunomon?" Henry asked.

"For about a week. She Digivolves to Tapirmon, and then into Unimon. A man named Shibumi gave me my Digivice as well as get some powerful Digimon to protect me and my friend's Digimon."

"Wait a minute, did you say Shibumi?"

"Yes, why?"

"He was an old friend of both of your grandfathers. He helped create the very first Digimon back in the 80's, but he was the only one who knew they would one day come to life."

"So, if you have a Digivice, does that mean the Digital World is in danger?" Alice asked.

"Yes, it is. A friend of ours, Devimon, said that Shibumi was taken by an evil Digimon called Phelesmon, and my friends and I need to go to the Digital World for a while so we can find him and bring him back," Tsunomon said.

"A Devimon?" Henry asked, suspicious.

"Oh, don't worry dad; Devimon's a good friend of ours, despite being a Virus-type Digimon. He even helped us kill an evil Kimeramon, who used to be a good friend of his back when he was a Deltamon, but Phelesmon made him Digivolve into Deltamon, and they stopped being friends."

"This is the most I've ever heard you speak," Alice noted.

"How have you been getting to the Digital World?" Henry asked.

"Shibumi gave Tomoya a yellow card which Tomoya uses to take us to the Digital World by sliding it through his Digivice right here," Lilac said, handing her Digivice to her father so he could see it.

"Wow, it looks exactly like the same kind me and my friends used to have," Henry said.

"Why did you say you need to be in the Digital World for a while if this card can easily take you back and forth?" Alice asked.

"Before we all had our Digimon partners, the card would send us to the location of one of our Digimon partners, but now that we all have our partners, it just sends us to a completely random part of the Digital World, and since we don't even know where Phelesmon lives, it would take a long time to just find him during one trip, let alone going back and forth day after day."

"So, you want to know if you can skip school for a few months or so so you can go to the Digital World?" Alice asked.

"Yes; I know I'm asking a lot, but I'll need to pack my sure of food and supplies and-"

"Just one thing I should mention about food in the Digital World; no matter how long you wait between each meal, no matter how much you eat at each meal, you never get hungry of full," Henry said. "You only eat when you feel like it, and your stomach will never know the difference."

"Wait, you're not actually going to let her go, are you?" Alice asked, bewildered.

"I don't think we have much say in whether or not she goes or not; the Digital World has chosen her to protect it from whatever evil Digimon or entity tries to destroy it," Henry said with a smile.

"You don't have to worry about her safety as long as me and the other Digimon are there with her," Tsunomon said.

"That's not the only thing I'm worried about. What about school? She'd be gone for a long time; just think of how much she'd miss out on!"

"Again, we don't really have much choice; if we don't let her go, then soon, there might not be a school for her to go to. Besides, me and the others turned out all right, and we were gone for almost a month! Plus, if Yamaki spoke with them, I'm sure we can count on him to help out with communications, right?"

"Yeah, he gave Tomoya the same Comm Device he gave you when you went to the Digital World, except now it displays a map of the Digital World, apparently."

"Yeah…you don't have to worry, Alice; Yamaki and I are going to be keeping an eye on all of them. Everything will turn out all right," Henry said. "Just be careful while you're there, ok?"

"Don't worry, Dad; I'll come back safe and unharmed, just like you did."

* * *

"Wow, this is a really nice house you live in, Emerilla!" Moonmon said from underneath Emerilla's shirt, trying to get a look at her house.

"Hey, be quiet! I didn't hide you in my shirt just so you could talk the entire time!" Emerilla hissed, doing her best to conceal her Digimon underneath her shirt.

"But aren't we already here?"

"Zip it!" Emerilla said, smacking her slightly as she opened the doors to her traditional Japanese house. When she saw that nobody else was around, she sighed and freed Moonmon.

"I'm sorry, but it was getting really warm in there, and I don't think straight when I'm warm," Moonmon said exhaustedly. "That shirt was very tight, and your tummy is uncomfortably hard…"

"What are you complaining about?" Emerilla asked as she entered her room and closed her door. "I was the one who had to walk all over town looking like I had a potbelly!"

"Oh, yes, poor you…" Moonmon said sarcastically.

"Say it like you mean it!"

"Be careful about your arrogance, Emerilla; it could very well lead to our downfall…" Moonmon muttered.

"What?"

"I said I'm very hungry. Is it time to eat yet?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll go find you something…"

"When are we going to talk to your parents about going to the Digital World?"

"How about right now?" Rika asked as she opened the door to her daughter's room, followed by Ryo. Rika looked angry, as usual, but Ryo looked far from it; he simply walked over to Moonmon with a plate of food in his hand.

"Is that for me?!" Moonmon asked excitedly as Ryo sat down on Emerilla's bed next to Moonmon.

"Yeah, I'd never forget how hungry a Digimon can get while in this world!" Ryo laughed as Moonmon ate rather noisily.

"Sorry, I'm usually not this loud when I'm a Rookie level Digimon," Moonmon said, blushing.

"Hey, don't worry about it! Wouldn't want you starving to death on us, right?" Ryo asked, laughing.

"Ryo, please, this isn't a laughing matter!" Rika snapped, but Ryo ignored her. "How long have you been keeping her a secret from us?!"

"About a week. How long have you known?" Emerilla asked, uncharacteristically quietly.

"As soon as you walked in, I saw you take her from under your shirt and head straight for your room, and I was here the entire time."

"I can't believe I didn't notice!" Emerilla said, truly surprised.

"Why didn't you tell us you had a Digimon, or that you were going to the Digital World?!" Rika asked.

"How did you know we were all going to the Digital World?!"

"Please, I see your Digimon and your Digivice; it's very obvious what you've been doing!"

"Rika, calm down," Ryo said.

"Why should I?! Our daughter's been going to the Digital World, and she didn't even bother to tell us!"

"What would she have gained if she had told us?" Ryo asked.

"Oh, well…uh…"

"Besides, neither of us has the right to be mad at us; after all, we've been keeping secrets from her, right?"

"That's nothing compared to the secret she's kept from us! She could have died out there!"

"Yeah, and we could have died when we went there," Ryo said.

"Well, at least we told our parents before we left!"

"I didn't," Ryo said, obviously trying very hard not to smile, and failing miserably.

"You guys have been to the Digital World before?!" Emerilla asked.

"Great, see what you started, Ryo?" Rika snapped.

"She would've found out eventually."

"Why is it that everything you say and do makes me furious?!"

"Because you are just so adorable when you're mad!" Ryo laughed, making Rika blush.

"Why didn't either of you tell me you've been to the Digital World?!" Emerilla asked.

"It was your father's idea; after we killed this stupid thing called the D-Reaper, our Digimon had to go back to the Digital World, and we haven't seen them since. Your father cried like a baby when he thought he'd never see Cyberdramon!"

"Oh, like you were any better with Renamon!"

"Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

"It was really hard for us to get over the losses of our Digimon friends, and I also heard that another friend of mine had her Digimon partner killed in battle. We just didn't want you to have to hear any of that, and I guess we were hoping that, by keeping it all secret from you, you wouldn't become Tamers, and have any of the horrible things we've had happen to us happen to you, or something like that," Ryo said seriously. "It was all your mother's idea, I promise!"

"Actually, I think it was Takato's idea," Rika said thoughtfully.

"So, may I go to the Digital World for a few months?" Emerilla asked. "A friend of ours has been taken by an evil Digimon called Phelesmon, and we have no idea where he is."

"That's the exact same reason I had for going to the Digital World with all of my friends," Rika said with a sigh. "I understand that this is an important thing to do, I just don't want to lose you…I finally understand how my mother felt when I went to the Digital World."

"Who are you looking for?" Ryo asked.

"His name is Shibumi; he's the one who gave us our Digivices, but now an evil Digimon called Phelesmon has him, and we don't even know where he lives, so we can't know where to start our search," Emerilla said.

"Shibumi, huh…I guess we really don't have a say in the matter if you're looking for that crazy old guy," Ryo said with a grin.

"You know him?"

"He helped us defeat a powerful being called the D-Reaper by giving us a special red card that we all slid through our Digivices. The card allowed us, while we were merged with our Digimon, to stay in our Digimon forms when we were inside the D-Reaper," Rika said.

"You merged with your Digimon?!" Moonmon asked.

"Yeah, it was pretty amazing; we became some of the strongest Digimon when we merged," Ryo said.

"He gave you all a red card to do it, right? He gave us a yellow card so we could easily go back and forth between this world and the Digital World," Emerilla said. "The only problem with it is that, now that we all have our Digimon partners, it takes us to a completely different location each time we go."

"I'm going to miss you while you're in the Digital World," Rika said tearfully.

"You're not mad at me anymore?"

"Of course I'm mad at you! You should have told us you had a Digimon partner sooner! But, I really can't be mad at you, because I never told my parents about my partner, Renamon, until I went to the Digital World."

"Keep her safe, Moonmon," Ryo said.

"You don't have to worry about that! I'll also try to see if I can't make her be a little less self-centered!" Moonmon said happily.

"Good luck with that!" Ryo laughed.

* * *

"So, what's the plan, T? We're not just going to walk in with our Digimon in plain sight, are we?" Dalton asked.

"Yeah, I guess so. Why?" Tomoya asked.

"Dude, don't you think it might, I don't know, freak people out to see a fireball and a…whatever Bukamon is flying around?" Dalton asked.

"Oh, I hadn't really thought of that…well, we are almost there. The panic we cause shouldn't be too large, I hope," Tomoya said.

"And for the record, I'm not a thing. I am an aquatic dinosaur, or something!" Bukamon said defensively.

"See? Even he doesn't know what he is!" Dalton said with a mighty yawn.

"Wow, something smells good! It's making me hungry!" DemiMeramon said.

"Everything makes you hungry," Tomoya said. "And that smell would be that of my parent's bakery."

"You live here? You must get hungry all the time!" Bukamon said. "I hope they don't mind if we eat whatever they make!"

"You never know; they aren't really bothered by much…"

"We're here. I guess we'll find out how much they'll freak out now," Dalton said, opening the doors to Takato's bakery. To their relief, the only person they saw was Jeri.

"Oh, hello! Did you boys have a good day at school?" Jeri asked, walking up to her son and nephew, suddenly stopping when she saw Bukamon and DemiMeramon. "Oh, you found some Digimon! How do you do? My name's Jeri!" Jeri said, shaking DemiMeramon's hand and Bukamon's flipper.

"Wow, you're right; she really isn't bothered by much!" DemiMeramon said in shock.

"It's been a long time since I've seen real Digimon!" Jeri said happily. "Where did you find them?"

"Uh, we kind of…went to the Digital World…" Tomoya said nervously.

"Oh, it's been a while since I've been there!"

"You went to the Digital World before?!" Tomoya asked.

"Oh, wait, I think that was supposed to be a secret…oh, well, you would've found out anyway. Takato, come in here please!" Jeri hollered.

"What's wrong?" Takato asked when he entered the room.

"We've got special guests!" Jeri said happily, motioning toward the Digimon.

"Wow, no way! Real live Digimon? Here in this world again?!" Takato asked, walking up to the small Digimon. "This is so cool! I can't wait to show the others!"

"Do you think we'll be able to meet Guilmon, Calumon, and the others soon?" Jeri asked.

"Were those guys your Digimon?" Dalton asked.

"Well, sort of. Guilmon was your Uncle Takato's Digimon, and my partner was a Leomon, but…he wasn't able to make it back to this world with the rest of us…" Jeri said sadly, though she still had the same happy expression on her face.

"Calumon was a really good friend of ours, but he didn't have a human partner. It was because of him we went to the Digital World in the first place, because we had to rescue him from a monkey Digimon called Makuramon," Takato said.

"You went to the Digital World because your friend was taken?" Dalton asked.

"Yeah; it turned out that Calumon had a special power to make other Digimon Digivolve, and that monkey wanted to give Calumon to his master, Zhuqiaomon, so they could use Calumon's powers to Digivolve and become more powerful so they could invade the human world," Takato said.

"That's sort of why we need to go," Tomoya said. "Our friend, Shibumi, was taken by an evil Digimon called Phelesmon."

"We don't know why, though," Dalton said.

"Shibumi…it's been a while since I've seen him!" Takato said.

"You know Shibumi?!"

"Yeah, he was the one who-"

"Guys, there's a Digimon nearby!" DemiMeramon said, his fiery body burning with anticipation.

"It might be the one Yamaki told us about; it doesn't seem to be very big, based on the smell," Bukamon said. "It's moving fast, and boy does it smell evil!" No sooner than Bukamon had said that, a small purple Digimon burst through the open door of the bakery.

"I thought I smelled some Digimon here," the Digimon said calmly.

"Wow, an Elecmon!" Tomoya said excitedly.

"But why is it purple?" Takato asked.

* * *

A/N: This is easily the longest chapter I've ever written (10 pages in Microsoft Word!)


	18. Tomoya's Resolve

A/N: Many thanks to all of the people who favorite this story, followed it, or anything similar! I'm glad you like this story ^_^

* * *

"So, you're the Digimon Yamaki told us about!" Tomoya said.

"My apologies for the intrusion. I smelled Digimon here, so I thought I might be able to find what I need," Elecmon said.

"What are you looking for?" Takato asked.

"…That is none of your business," Elecmon said coldly.

"Well, if you told us, maybe we could help you find it," Jeri suggested.

"My master forbade me from speaking of the mission with anybody, especially you humans!"

"Your master, huh? Is it Phelesmon?" Tomoya asked.

"Who's Phelesmon?" Elecmon asked, confused.

"You don't know?" Dalton asked.

"I've wasted enough time as it is. Allow me to pass so that I can find what I need!" Elecmon shouted.

"You'll have to get through us first! DemiMeramon Digivolve to, Candlemon!"

"Bukamon Digivolve to, Betamon!"

"Here, Tomoya, take this card!" Takato said, handing him a Digimon card.

"How will this help?" Tomoya asked.

"Uh…slide it through your Digivice so it can modify your Digimon like in the card game…"

"Wow, I didn't know that could work! Digi-Modify; Hyper Wings activate!" after Tomoya slid the card through his Digivice, the wings that should have appeared on Candlemon's back did not.

"Was that supposed to do something?" Elecmon asked.

"It should have…it always did when I did it for my Digimon!" Takato said.

Elecmon sighed. "Well, I'm out of here; I doubt something so important would be hidden somewhere so small," Elecmon said, turning to leave.

"Hey, not so fast; Electric Shock!"

"Lava Loogie!" Elecmon quickly jumped up on top of the bakery to dodge the attacks.

"Damn, he got away!" Betamon muttered.

"What do you think he could have been looking for?" Jeri asked.

"I don't know, but if he dislikes humans as much as he let on, or more, it can't be good," Takato said.

"Do you remember those Devas? They didn't like us humans either, but they wanted to protect the Digital World, so it might not be that bad," Jeri said.

"I hope you're right," Takato said solemnly.

"So, you boys are going to go to the Digital World tomorrow, right?" Jeri asked.

"Yeah, but…we might have to be there longer than we thought, mom," Tomoya said.

"Hey, don't worry about it. We were both in your position, remember?" Takato asked. "Just make sure you come back home in one piece, all right?"

"Don't worry, we'll be there protecting them!" Candlemon said happily, turning back into DemiMeramon.

"Rest assured, our skills in combat are sufficient enough to enable the safety of our journey," Betamon said, turning back into Bukamon.

"Before we go, could you tell us about when you went to the Digital World?" Tomoya asked.

"…And why you never told us," Dalton added.

"Ok, but I'll have to begin at the very beginning, when I first discovered my Digimon partner," Takato said, taking a deep breath. "One day as I was coming home from school, I stopped at the park to get my Digimon cards, and when I saw them, I saw a strange blue card among them, and when I scanned it in my card reader, my card reader suddenly turned into my Digivice, which then scanned some drawings that I made of my created Digimon, Guilmon, and, the next day, he was alive. That was one of the best days of my life…"

"Wow, that's so different from the way we found our Digimon," Tomoya said, looking at DemiMeramon. One day, Shibumi just showed up and gave me my Digivice and this yellow card to take us to the Digital World with ease."

"It must've been hard hiding a big Digimon like that from your parents," Dalton said.

"Yeah, it wouldn't have been easy if I hadn't found a special place in the park to hid Guilmon, and even then, I had some pretty close calls," Takato said.

"By 'a special place,' do you mean a little stone building with a giant hole in the back?" DemiMeramon asked.

"Yeah, that's the one. Is that where Tomoya hid you?" Jeri asked.

"Yeah; at first it was pretty big, but it started to get a little crowded when more and more Digimon came," Bukamon said.

"On the first night I was there, I thought I smelled a lot of different Digimon, but there was one in particular that was stronger than the others. Was that Guilmon's?" DemiMeramon asked.

"Yeah, I guess so. At first, it was kind of hard to keep him in there, because several other Digimon convinced him to come out and play, or something. So, anyway, not long after I had become acquainted with…some other tamers, these really powerful Digimon called Devas started showing up all over town, and one in particular called Makuramon kidnapped Calumon and took him to the Digital World, as I've explained before," Takato said.

"So, we all went to the Digital World to go look for him not long after I received my partner Digimon, Leomon," Jeri said. "Not long after we went, Leomon was…killed…"

"Killed? By who?!" Tomoya asked angrily.

"By a Digimon called Beelzemon…but, I don't…I just can't bring myself to hate him anymore. He really risked his life to save me after he changed, and he almost died doing it, too," Jeri said.

"Wow, Tomoya, your mom is really nice, forgiving Beelzemon like that!" Candlemon exclaimed.

"Yeah…I don't think I could ever forgive anyone that killed Candlemon, even if they did save my life," Tomoya said, looking fondly at his Digimon partner.

"If your Digimon was killed, shouldn't he have come back as a Digi-Egg?" Dalton asked.

"Ordinarily, that would have been true, but Leomon's data was absorbed by Beelzemon, preventing him from coming back…" Jeri said sadly.

"All right, that does it; if we ever meet this Beelzemon, I'll make sure he suffers for what he did to you!" Tomoya said angrily.

"No, please don't…the power he was given to him was controlling him; he didn't really know what he was doing," Jeri said.

"Please, don't do it," Takato said. "After all he did to help us, he's a really good friend of ours. He's suffered enough in his life, and besides, if you picked a fight with him, you really wouldn't stand a chance! He is a Mega-level Digimon, after all."

"All right, all right; I promise I won't send Candlemon to attack him," Tomoya said. _Candlemon won't have to attack him…I'll defeat Beelzemon all by myself!_

"Thank you, Tomoya…thank you very much!" Candlemon said with relief.

_Something tells me Tomoya isn't going to let this go very easily…I should keep an eye on him to make sure he stays under control…_ Dalton thought. "So, who gave Beelzemon his power?"

"Well, I'm not too sure, but I think it was a Sovereign Digimon called Zhuqiaomon," Takato said.

"Sovereign? Do you mean like Azulongmon from the TV show?" Tomoya asked.

"Yeah, Azulongmon and Zhuqiaomon, along with Baihumon and Ebonwumon, protect the four compass directions of the Digital World. They're extremely powerful, and really big, so don't ever pick a fight with one," Takato said seriously. "And that's pretty much all that happened when we went to the Digital World. However, when we were coming back to this world, a digital life form called the D-Reaper followed us back so it could destroy all humans and Digimon because it saw that both of us as destructive, and therefore, unsuitable to live."

"The D-Reaper took advantage of my sadness from losing Leomon, and turned the darkness in my heart into its power," Jeri said. "If it wasn't for your father and our friends, especially Beelzemon, I'd still be trapped inside of it, forever depressed…"

"After we finally defeated it with the help of the Sovereigns, our Digimon had to go back home to the Digital World, or else they would've all died," Takato said. "Most of the time, I was ok when I thought about all of them, but…there was a promise I made to Guilmon…one that I'd never thought I'd be able to keep…until today, that is. Thank you, Tomoya, Dalton…and you too, Candlemon and Betamon. I never thought I'd be able to see Guilmon again, but seeing Digimon here again has given me hope!"

"Uncle Takato, as much as I'd like to bring Guilmon and the others back here with us, we don't have the slightest idea where they are, and we need to find and defeat Phelesmon first of all," Dalton said. "As soon as that's done, I promise I won't leave the Digital World until I find Guilmon and the others."

"Dalton…"

"Guilmon is a big red dinosaur, right? I'll remember to keep an eye out for him. What other Digimon should we look out for?"

"Terriermon, Renamon, Guardromon, MarineAngemon, Cyberdramon, and Lopmon, which I believe are all species you are familiar with, right?"

"Yeah, I've got cards of all of them," Tomoya said.

"Also, be on the lookout for a small white Digimon with big ears; that's Calumon. He's rather hyper, and loves to run and play, so it might be difficult for you to keep up with him," Jeri said. "And also…a small purple Digimon called Impmon. Impmon is…Beelzemon at the Rookie level, but please don't be too hard on him, Tomoya."

"I am NOT bringing that Digimon back here with us!" Tomoya said stubbornly.

"Please, Tomoya? He also has a human partner; two of them, actually. I don't want to see either of them disappointed," Takato said.

"I'll make sure he comes back, if we find him," Dalton said. "If everyone else remembers to show up, then we'll leave tomorrow at 5 pm. Is...that ok?"

"Yes, of course it is; and I'll make sure to go to both of your teachers to explain everything so they can save up your homework!" Jeri said happily.

"Oh, no, that's ok…you don't have to trouble yourself like that," Tomoya said nervously.

"Nonsense, I'm glad to do it!"

"No, really, that's too kind…I don't think I could ever repay you…"

"You don't have to worry about that! Just come home safely and you can do all your assignments when you get back!"

"…Gee, thanks…" Tomoya said sadly.

"Mr. Yamaki is going to be there to see us off tomorrow," Dalton said. "Just thought you should know…"

"Yamaki, eh? Thanks for telling me; I haven't seen him in a while," Takato said.

* * *

It is now 5 pm of the next day, and all seven humans and Digimon are at the park, along with Yamaki, Takato, and Jeri.

"You still have the device I gave you, right?" Yamaki asked.

"Yeah, it's right here," Tomoya said, holding up the Comm Device.

"Since traveling back and forth between the worlds is easier than it was when your parents went, Tomoya, it's probably not going to be as necessary to have, but it's still convenient to have for communications and whatnot. And whatever you do, don't lose it."

"If that's the case, then I should probably hold onto it! After all, Tomoya's the LAST person you should give something to if you don't want it lost!" Nate said.

"Hey, shut up!" Tomoya shouted.

"Nevertheless, buddy, you probably should let someone else hold onto that thing," Dalton said.

"Hey, Tomoya's just as good as I am when it comes to not losing things!" Candlemon said defensively.

"So, not very good, then!" Emerilla said, laughing with all the others (besides Tomoya and Candlemon.)

"Candlemon, why are you and Betamon at your Rookie levels?" Theo asked.

"Oh, yeah; Mr. Yamaki, I think we saw that Digimon you were talking about the other day!" Tomoya said. "It was an Elecmon, except it was purple rather than red, and it showed up at my parents bakery. Our Digimon Digivolved to fight it, but it ran away before their attacks hit. It was relatively small, and very fast, just as you described, and he said he was looking for something for his master."

"To be more specific, he said, 'I doubt something so important would be hidden somewhere so small,'" Dalton said. "Does that help you at all, sir?"

"Any information we can get on this Digimon is helpful, no matter how trivial," Yamaki said. "You should probably get going as soon as possible."

"Ok; thank you for all of your help, sir!" Mia said. "We promise to come back safe and uninjured."

_Mom…I know I promised I wouldn't kill Beelzemon, but what he did was completely unforgivable, no matter how you look at it. I will make Beelzemon suffer; I might even have to kill him if that's what it comes to. I'm sorry, but promising to let Beelzemon off the hook for what he did is one promise I cannot keep…_Tomoya slid the yellow card through his Digivice, sending the Digimon and their human partners to the Digital World once again. "Don't worry, mom and dad; I will bring Guilmon, Calumon, and the others back with us!" Tomoya shouted before they all disappeared.

"I see you told them about your past experiences with the Digimon," Yamaki said.

"Yeah…we felt it was the best thing to do since they're going to the Digital World," Takato said.

"It just didn't seem right to keep the past from them, no matter what emotions it makes them feel," Jeri said.

"I hope the others told their kids the same things we did," Takato said. "I'd hate it if they learned from our son and nephew instead of them…"

* * *

A/N: I've been trying to make Tomoya and Mia a couple, but…seeing as I have no…personal life experience on the matter to use as a reference as any sort, I highly doubt I would be able to make it work. Sorry DX


	19. The Red Key

A/N: As much as I would love to update more often, I have school, and I often have homework that takes me until about 7:30 pm to finish (I live in the state of Georgia, so I'll leave it up to you to figure out the time zone difference thingy.) T_T Thank you all so much for being patient with me though, and I promise I work each and every day (except usually not on Friday or Saturday, because I'm at my dad's house then.) But other than that, I work every day of the week!

* * *

"So, here we are…" Tomoya said, looking across a vast wasteland which was experiencing a small sandstorm at the moment. All the In-Training Digimon have Digivolved into their Rookie levels. "Does anyone have any idea of where we should start searching for Phelesmon?"

"I guess all we can do is pick a direction and stick with it until we find a clue of where we should be going," Theo said.

"Digidestined!" a familiar voice shouted from behind the group.

"Hey, it's Grademon!" Tomoya said happily.

"I'm glad you could all make it here today, my friends," Grademon said. "Together with my Mistress Sanzomon and Devimon, we have a vague idea of where Phelesmon might be! I apologize for only having a vague idea of the matter, but still, it is better than having nothing at all."

"That's true; so, where might he be?" Candlemon asked.

"Well, we all thought it best that I show you were it is rather than tell you to prevent you from getting lost."

"Wow, you're coming with us?" Agumon asked, and Grademon nodded happily.

"Well, we certainly appreciate the help, Grademon, but will Miss Sanzomon be alright without you?" Mia asked.

"Miss Sanzomon is quite possibly one of the strongest Digimon in the Digital World; in fact, she would be quite capable of destroying me in a single attack if she felt it necessary," Grademon laughed. "Normally, she wouldn't allow a Digimon such as myself to serve her as I do now, but…certain events caused her to change her mind. I've served her for so long that, nowadays, I can be gone for less than a second before she starts to miss me. Don't worry, though; Devimon is with her, so hopefully, she won't get too lonely."

"What made her change her mind?" Mia asked.

"I'm afraid there is not enough time to tell the story at the moment; we must begin our trek to find Phelesmon," Grademon said in a tone of voice that indicated that he'd rather not discuss the story. So, on they walked for hours and hours through the vast wasteland of the Digital World as Grademon led the way.

"Grademon, it's starting to get dark," Theo said. "Is there anywhere specific we should sleep?"

"Actually, there's supposed to be a village nearby, hopefully with Digimon that allow us to stay there," Grademon said. "We should get there in about twenty minutes." After about forty minutes (it would've been a shorter amount of time had Dalton not fallen asleep while walking multiple times,) they finally reached the village Grademon spoke of. "We leave here at the crack of dawn so as not to be an imposition on any of the Digimon here, got it?"

"Yeah, that's fine…" Dalton said with a yawn. "So, what kinds of Digimon live here?"

"Well, I'm not too sure…"

"We live here!" a small blue Digimon said, flying up to the group. "DemiDevimon's the name, and greeting weary travelers with hospitality is our game! Is there anything we can do to help?"

"DemiDevimon? Is this really a village we should be staying in?" Theo asked quietly.

"Dost thou not remember the Devimon that killed his old friend to help us out?" Hawkmon asked. "If we can trust him, then surely thou can trust this smaller Digimon, can't thee?"

"I guess you're right; yes, we'd be most appreciative if you could let us stay here for the night," Theo said, still unsure if he should trust the small Rookie.

"Right; come this way, please!" DemiDevimon said, flying off.

"Even if we can trust that Devimon, it still never hurts to be on guard around DemiDevimon," Grademon whispered.

"This is to be your room for the night. Is this acceptable?" DemiDevimon asked.

"Yes, it's very nice," Mia said politely, walking into a building with enough comfortable-looking beds for everyone in the group.

"I'm glad you think so; please, enjoy your stay here!" DemiDevimon said, flying away once everyone was inside. Grademon closed the door very quickly and instantly locked it.

"I don't want to take any chances tonight; you never know what might happen in a village full of DemiDevimon," Grademon said. Soon after everyone settled themselves, they all fell asleep.

"Whew, I was beginning to think they would never fall asleep," DemiDevimon whispered, looking into the building through a window.

"They look much stronger than what Master Phelesmon said," a Digimon beside DemiDevimon said.

"That's only because Grademon's there with them; be extra careful while going in there, ok, Vilemon?" DemiDevimon asked the seven Digimon, who all nodded silently as DemiDevimon opened the window, allowing them to fly in.

"So, where do you think they are?" one of the Vilemon whispered.

"They're probably holding onto them, so be extra careful while doing it, ok?" another Vilemon whispered, heading straight for Tomoya, instantly spotting his Digivice next to his shoes on the floor next to his bed. _Too easy!_ The Vilemon thought as he quickly picked up the Digivice and flew off with it, soon followed by the other Vilemon. DemiDevimon grinned as he saw all seven Vilemon holding a Digivice, then opened the window so they could all exit the building.

"I told you there was no reason to worry," DemiDevimon said.

"That's why you're the boss!" one of the Vilemon said.

"You're damn right; now, go hide all of the Digivices so those kids will never find them!"

"OK!"

* * *

"Everyone, time to wake up!" Grademon shouted, clanking his two swords together, causing everyone to wake up with a start, including Dalton. "We need to leave this place as soon as possible, so get moving!"

"Hey, Candlemon? Have you seen my Digivice?" Tomoya asked.

"Last I saw it, you put it with your shoes," Candlemon said.

"But it isn't here…"

"Oh no…has anyone else lost their Digivice?" Grademon asked.

"I can't find mine, either," Theo said.

"Well, now I know how you feel all the time, Tomoya," Nate said.

"Damn it, I should've known something like this would've happened!" Grademon said, using his swords to slice the door in half.

"Whatever seems to be the problem?" DemiDevimon asked with a smile on his face as Grademon pointed one of his swords at him.

"You know damn well what the problem is, you dirty snake! Where are the children's Digivices?!"

"What's a Digivice?" DemiDevimon asked innocently just as Grademon swung his sword, barely missing the small Digimon.

"Grademon, calm down; we need him alive so he can tell us where the Digivices are!" Dalton said.

"I swear, I have no idea what you're talking about!" DemiDevimon exclaimed.

"Master DemiDevimon, we finished burying those Digivices right behind the guest suite as you asked!" one of the Vilemon said.

"You idiot!" DemiDevimon hissed as the humans went behind the building they slept in and dug up their Digivices. "If you want something done right, kill all the Vilemon and do it yourself!"

"For having committed treasonous actions against the Digidestined, I condemn you to immediate death, foul creatures!"

"No, Grademon; it was us they stole from, not you. Let us handle it!" Tomoya said as his Digivice began to glow.

"Candlemon Digivolve to, Wizardmon!"

"These humans mean to harm Sir DemiDevimon! Protect him at all costs!" one of the Vilemon said as all seven flew in front of DemiDevimon.

"Thanks for putting yourselves into a large group like that; Electro Squall!" Wizardmon fired a powerful electric blast from his wand at the seven small Vilemon, instantly killing all of them.

"Why, thank you!" DemiDevimon said, absorbing the data of the destroyed Vilemon. "You really are gracious guests, so allow me to show you some gratitude! DemiDevimon Digivolve to, Vilemon!" the Vilemon DemiDevimon turned into was much larger than the seven Wizardmon just destroyed, being closer in height to a Greymon. "It seems kind of wrong to kill you all now that I have this power, since you helped me receive it, so I'll ask you nicely; hand over your Digivices!"

"Never!" Tomoya shouted.

"Then prepare to feel the wrath of Lord Phelesmon!" Vilemon flew up, then swooped down toward Wizardmon, shoving him backward and pinning him against a building.

"Electro Squall!" Wizardmon aimed his wand at Vilemon's face and attacked, but Vilemon didn't seem to notice.

"That's enough; Cross Blade!" Grademon ran toward Vilemon, but before he could strike him with his swords, Vilemon flew up while still holding Wizardmon, and then he dropped the Champion on Grademon, making Grademon fall to the ground.

"They need help; get in there, Agumon!" Nate said, his Digivice shinning.

"Well, it's about time; Agumon Digivolve to, Tyrannomon! Blaze Blast!" Tyrannomon fired his attack at Vilemon from behind, making him scream in pain as he fell to the ground.

"Electro Squall!" Wizardmon attacked once again, this time killing the Vilemon.

"Think about what you're doing…you can't beat Phelesmon! It's…impossible! At least think it through before you fight him!" Vilemon turned back into data, which Wizardmon absorbed before turning back into Candlemon.

"Boy, do you kick ass or what?!" Nate said, hi-fiving his Digimon as he turned back into Agumon.

"We sure do make a great team!" Agumon said happily.

"…Thanks for the help," Tomoya said.

"Well, don't you sound appreciative?!" Nate said jokingly.

"Wizardmon could've handled Vilemon all by himself."

"Are you joking? The only reason your Digimon was able to finish that Vilemon off was because Tyrannomon weakened him!"

"Hey, Tomoya, there's something on the ground where Vilemon was!" Candlemon said, hopping over to what he saw. "It looks like a key…" the key was cylindrical in shape, but otherwise looked like an ordinary shiny grey key, but the top part of it was a deep crimson red; the same color as Tomoya's Digivice.

"I believe this is the treasure Devimon spoke of," Grademon said. "With these, you should have enough power to defeat Phelesmon!"

"So, why is it in the shape of a key?" Tomoya asked, holding the key.

"Well, to be honest, I know nothing of how they work, but I'm sure you'll figure it out," Grademon said. "So, now that we know we're on the right path, let us continue!"


	20. Keep the Flattery Coming

A/N: About how Grademon began working for Sanzomon as said in the previous chapter…I'm thinking that I'll make that a one chapter story once I complete this one (which'll give me plenty of time to think of how it's going to happen :P)

* * *

"So, where exactly is Phelesmon?" Theo asked.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I do know that wherever he is hiding is in this direction," Grademon said.

"How much longer should this take?" Tomoya asked.

"Not too sure of that, either; could take anywhere between a few days to a few months, but we should at least try to search for your individual keys before we actually fight Phelesmon."

"This is going to take longer than a few months, isn't it…?" Nate groaned.

"It may very well, but we can't lose hope because of that. Your friend is in danger, and so is the entire Digital World, and any problems the Digital World has has a profound effect on your world."

"Yeah, I know…sorry for complaining, but all of this walking is really wearing me out!"

"I understand, but we can't stop now; time spent on taking breaks is time better spent on heading for our destination."

"I understand, but still, can't we-" Nate was interrupted by the loud screech of an enormous bird flying overhead. "No way, that's Aquilamon!"

"A distant relative of mine; I surely hope he hast not aligned himself with that awful Phelesmon," Hawkmon said.

"How dare you insult my lord and master so! You must die!"

"So, what are you going to do to us? It's eight against one; you're not exactly facing the greatest odds here," Theo said.

"Well then, let's try to even those odds slightly, shall we?!" Aquilamon said, unleashing a shriek so loud it shook the ground, and suddenly, a giant claw emerged from the ground as an enormous Digimon dug itself from underground.

"DarkTyrannomon's here," Agumon said unhappily.

"You called, Aquilamon?" DarkTyrannomon asked.

"These foolish humans have disgracefully insulted our dear master, so help me to deliver a righteous punishment to these heathens!"

"You're the boss; Fire Blast!"

"Lunamon Digivolve to, Lekismon! Moon Night Bomb!" in response to DarkTyrannomon's attack, Lekismon threw a ball of water, completely evaporating DarkTyrannomon's flames.

"Annoying rodent; let me remind you why birds are on top of the food chain!" Aquilamon said. "Grand Horn!" Aquilamon's horns grew as he swooped down and prepared to stab Lekismon.

"Betamon Digivolve to, Seadramon! Ice Blast!" Seadramon unleashed a freezing blast from his mouth, completely freezing over Aquilamon's wings, causing him to crash to the ground.

"Tear Arrow!" Lekismon shot an arrow into DarkTyrannomon's eye, making the dinosaur roar in pain. "Tear Arrow!" Lekismon shot another arrow, this time into DarkTyrannomon's chest, killing the Champion.

"Ice Blast!" Seadramon's attack hit Aquilamon directly in the face, killing him instantly.

"Disgrace to the species," Hawkmon grunted.

"Hey, look; I think I see two more keys!" Lekismon said as she turned back into Lunamon.

"I wonder who they're for," Seadramon said, turning back into Betamon. The two Rookies walked up to the keys and dug them out of the sand. They looked exactly like the one Candlemon found earlier, except one had a blue top as opposed to red, and the other one was yellow.

"I think these are for our partners; see, their color matches their Digivices," Lunamon said, handing the blue-tipped key to Emerilla as Betamon gave the yellow-tipped key to Dalton.

"Excellent work, as usual; you are definitely getting stronger and stronger with each fight," Grademon said.

"Yeah, they aren't bad," a voice said from up in the sky.

"I'm glad you were able to find us," Grademon said.

"No big deal; I have eyes like a hawk, only twice as beautiful, remember?"

"How could I ever forget? Now, why don't you come down here and introduce yourself?"

"Oh, all right," the voice said, and faster than a blink of an eye, the Digimon came down and landed gracefully on the ground in front of the Digidestined. "Hi, I'm Zephyrmon! Pleased to meet you, Digidestined!" Zephyrmon extended a claw-like hand.

"The pleasure is all mine!" Nate said, shoving past the others to shake Zephyrmon's hand.

"Well, aren't you an enthusiastic one?" Zephyrmon asked.

"Sorry about that; he's always like this whenever he sees a beautiful woman," Mia said.

"Well then, it's no wonder he's so enthusiastic; if I were in his position, I'd be acting the same," Zephyrmon said.

"Zephyrmon is the one who was able to locate Kimeramon for us, and has also searched long and hard for Phelesmon," Grademon said. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say those eyes of hers could see through solid rock!"

"Oh, enough with the flattery," Zephyrmon said modestly.

"All right, if you insist."

"Wait, no, I was just kidding! I was just trying to sound modest, you dope! Keep the flatteries coming!"

"You don't have a single modest bond in your entire body," Grademon laughed.

"In my case, modesty would be unseemly for one as beautiful as me."

"Boy, I'll say!" Nate said.

"So, how goes the search for Phelesmon?" Grademon asked.

"Not too well, I'm afraid; that bastard really knows how to hide…but, enough about that. You kids are looking for those keys to make your Digimon stronger, right? How many do you have?" Zephyrmon asked.

"Only three have been collected," Grademon said.

"Only three? Well, here's the fourth," Zephyrmon tossed an orange-tipped key toward the Digidestined, which Nate caught.

"Thank you, Zephyrmon!" Nate said.

"No big deal. You know how to use them, right?"

"Well, actually, we have a problem concerning that," Grademon said.

"I see…it looks like this fight against Phelesmon is going to be harder than we thought," Zephyrmon said.

"You don't know how to use them either?" Grademon asked.

"I'm afraid I don't…sorry."

"Well, thank you for all your help, Zephyrmon."

"Sorry I wasn't able to be of more help, but I'll be sure to come find you if I find Phelesmon," Zephyrmon said, and just before she flew off, the ground began to shake once again as another dinosaur-like Digimon ran up to the group. "Well, if it isn't Tuskmon; this ought to be fun!"

"Is he one of Phelesmon's henchmen?" Theo asked.

"He certainly isn't a friend of mine!" Zephyrmon said, swiftly dodging one of Tuskmon's claws.

"Candlemon Digivolve to, Wizardmon!"

"Agumon Digivolve to, Tyrannomon!"

"Hawkmon Digivolve to, Thunderbirdmon!"

"Horn Buster!" Tuskmon fired a laser from his horn at Thunderbirdmon, making him crash to the ground.

"Electro Squall!"

"Blaze Blast!" the Tuskmon easily shook off the two attacks, and then hit them both with a Horn Buster before turning to Zephyrmon.

"Bayonet Lancer!" the giant tusks on Tuskmon's back began to glow white as he charged at Zephyrmon, who quickly flew out of the way of his attack.

"So, why are you working for Phelesmon?" Zephyrmon asked.

"He promised to give me anything I wanted; while I have nothing against any of you personally, a job's a job, and I need what Phelesmon's going to give me! Horn Buster!" Tuskmon fired another laser from his horn which Zephyrmon gracefully dodged.

"Hurricane Gale!" Zephyrmon unleashed a powerful blast of wind that struck Tuskmon on his neck, making him fall down to one knee.

"You're pretty strong for such a little thing," Tuskmon grunted.

"Thanks; you're pretty weak for such a big thing!" Zephyrmon said. "Plasma Paws!" red orbs formed around Zephyrmon's hands and feet as she sliced them across Tuskmon's face, making him roar in pain.

"Bayonet Lancer!" the tusks on Tuskmon's back began to glow as he charged at Wizardmon, who was struggling to get up.

"Tyrannomon, help him out!" Nate shouted.

"You got it!" at the last second, Tyrannomon jumped in front of Wizardmon and grabbed Tuskmon's tusks, preventing him from attacking Wizardmon. "Blaze Blast!" Tyrannomon unleashed a powerful fireball that struck Tuskmon in the face, making him fall to the ground, completely exhausted.

"Thunderstorm!" Thunderbirdmon flapped his massive wings, sending waves of thunder and electricity toward Tuskmon, killing him.

"I guess reckless greed doesn't pay off!" Tuskmon moaned as he turned back into data, which Thunderbirdmon absorbed before turning back into Hawkmon. "Look, there's another key!" Hawkmon flew down and picked up the key, revealing that it had a green tip, the same color as Theo's Digivice. "Theo, with thy key in hand, thou will surely triumph over Phelesmon!"

"That would be true if we knew how to use them," Theo said, taking the key from his Digimon.

"So, what do I get for saving your Digimon's butt not once, but twice?" Nate asked as Wizardmon and Tyrannomon turned back into Rookies.

"…Thank you."

"Is that all the thank we get? Tyrannomon risked his life to save Wizardmon; you should be ecstatic! Or, you're not going to say that Wizardmon would've been fine if I hadn't told Tyrannomon to save him," Nate said.

"Maybe he could have," Tomoya said, not looking at Nate.

"Fine; the next time your Digimon's in trouble, I won't save him!"

"Nate, I really do appreciate you sending Tyrannomon to save me, even if Tomoya won't admit it," Candlemon said.

"Hey, don't worry about that; it was just a figure of speech. But don't tell Tomoya that, ok?" Nate whispered.

"Don't worry, I won't!" Candlemon laughed.

"Hey, Dalton, is it just me, or have you noticed that Tomoya and Nate are arguing a lot more than usual?" Mia asked.

"No, I noticed it too…I wouldn't worry about it, though; every time they argue like this, after a few days, they'll completely forget what they were angry about, and they'll stop…just let them fight it out, and everything'll be normal…" Dalton said, yawning again.

"You sure know how to take it easy, Dalton," Mia said.

"Hey, that WAS a fun battle! I hope we can do it again sometime!" Zephyrmon said.

"Yes, thank you for your help, Zephyrmon; we could not have won without you," Grademon said.

"That's right, keep the flattery coming!" Zephyrmon said, winking as she flew off.

* * *

A/N: I was sick when I wrote this, so I apologize if it isn't as good as some of the other chapters.


	21. Into the Cave

A/N: Listening to FMA music while writing these :D

* * *

"Dancing Sword!" Darcmon swung her sword at an attacking Golemon, striking the beast in the chest, instantly killing it.

"Good job, Darcmon!" Mia said as her Digimon turned back into Salamon.

"Look, another key!" Salamon said, picking up a violet-tipped key with her mouth, handing it to Mia.

"That means Lilac is the only one here who doesn't have a key," Tomoya said. "We've got to find it before we fight Phelesmon!"

"…If it's too much of a trouble to get it, we don't have to worry about it…" Lilac said.

"What are you talking about? We're not going to have you be the only one here without a key! Besides, don't you want to know what your Digimon will Digivolve to?" Nate asked.

"…I guess so…"

"I believe we are getting close to where Phelesmon dwells," Grademon said.

"I would hope so; we've been walking for days!" Mia said. After walking for a few more hours, they arrived in what appeared to be a small canyon.

"We're here," Grademon said quietly.

"Here? You mean, THIS is where Phelesmon lives?!" Nate asked.

"Yes…I'm sure of it; I can sense a massive amount of darkness nearby. This is definitely where Phelesmon is."

"Maybe we should wait a little bit; at least until we find Lilac's key and we figure out how they work," Theo said.

"I guess you're right, but I don't like the thought of just waiting around, especially when Shibumi might be in danger," Grademon said.

"Uh…is someone here?" a voice said.

"Who said that?" Emerilla asked.

"I'm over here in this cage. Could you please let me out?" the group walked over to where the voice came from and immediately say a rather large bird cage with a human-like Digimon trapped inside it.

"Don't worry, I'll let you out! Salamon Digivolve to, Darcmon! Stand back; Dancing Sword!" Darcmon swung her sword, cleanly slicing through the bars of the cage, freeing the Digimon. Darcmon then turned back into Salamon.

"Thank you so much; my name is Wisemon," the Digimon said.

"Why were you in that cage?" Grademon asked.

"Phelesmon put me in it because I wouldn't help him out," Wisemon said.

"That evil bastard! I'm glad we were able to help you!" Nate said.

"Yes, me too…wait, I just remembered; because I wouldn't help him, he placed me in this cage, and has an incredibly powerful Digimon nearby keeping watch to make sure I don't get out!"

"Was it a Golemon? If it was, then we don't have to worry, because I already destroyed him," Salamon said.

"No, it wasn't a Golemon…oh, I can't remember what it was!" suddenly, a giant green Digimon flew above the group.

"Snimon!" Emerilla exclaimed.

"Yes, that's it! It's Snimon! Oh…he's here…" Wisemon said. "Please, don't kill me! There's so much more I want to learn!"

"Relax, Wisemon; we'll protect you!" Tomoya said.

"…Wait, this Snimon…it's probably holding onto my key…" Lilac said.

"Yeah, that does make sense; Devimon did say he gave the keys to his strongest minions, and that Snimon definitely looks powerful!" Emerilla said.

"Are you sure you don't want a little help with this, Tapirmon?" Agumon asked.

"I will be fine by myself, because my partner believes in me," Tapirmon said. "Tapirmon Digivolve to, Unimon! Aerial Attack!" Unimon's attack was sliced in half by one of Snimon's scythes.

"Twin Sickles!" Snimon launched to crescent beams from his scythes which Unimon easily avoided.

"Aerial Gallop!" Unimon lowered her head, aiming her horn at Snimon, and flew at top speed toward Snimon, who attempted to block the attack with his scythes, but failed as Unimon flew past them and stabbed him in the chest. "Aerial Attack!" Unimon's attack hit Snimon on the chest where she had hit him earlier, killing him.

"Well done…seeing all of you work together the way you do…it makes me a little jealous that the group I'm with isn't close…" Snimon said before dying and turning into data which Unimon absorbed before turning back into Tapirmon.

"Here's your key, Lilac," Tapirmon said, handing her partner an indigo-tipped key.

"…Thank you…You…were great out there," Lilac said.

"So, are we really ready to fight Phelesmon?" Nate asked.

"We need to learn how to use these keys first," Mia said.

"Oh! I know! I know how to use them!" Wisemon said.

"Really? How do they work?" Grademon asked.

"All you have to do is…is to…oh, I forgot! I'm sorry! I know it'll come back to me, though!"

"Maybe we should go ahead and fight Phelesmon; Wisemon might remember if he sees him," Emerilla said.

"But what if he doesn't remember until it's too late? I think we should wait until he remembers, and then go see Phelesmon," Tomoya said.

"But that could take days! We don't know how much time we've got left," Mia said.

"What do you think we should do, Grademon?" Theo asked.

"I agree with Mia; we don't have much time left. We should go ahead and start the battle against Phelesmon," Grademon said. "Besides, I'll be there to help you all fight."

"Yeah, I've been waiting to smash that creep since day one!" Nate said.

"So, where does Phelesmon lurk?" Grademon asked.

"In that cave over there," Wisemon said, pointing at a cave going inside a cliff.

"Alright, Digidestined; onward to battle!" Grademon said as he and the others, including Wisemon, walked into the cave.

"Tomoya, what's wrong?" Candlemon asked.

"…Nobody seems to agree with me. I just think it's a really bad idea to go in there when we don't know anything about the keys," Tomoya said.

"I understand, but it's not like we can just wait out here while our friends fight that monster, right?"

"I hope you're right, Candlemon," Tomoya said nervously as he entered the cave. _Why do I have this feeling that everything is going to go wrong?_


	22. Unlocking a New Digivolution

A/N: Alas, the battle against Phelesmon begins!

* * *

"It's really dark in this cave. How are we going to fight Phelesmon if we can't even see him?" Theo asked.

"Remember, he can't see us either, so I'm sure there must be some sort of light wherever he is," Grademon said.

"So, what kind of Digimon is Phelesmon? How does he fight?" Mia asked.

"He is…the evilest kind of Digimon there is," Wisemon said. "The first thing he does is drive his opponent into insanity and then he torchers them to death with his trident. Even if he doesn't do that, he's still really powerful, even for an Ultimate-level Digimon. We'll have to be very careful."

"And you still haven't remembered how to use the keys?" Tomoya asked.

"No, I haven't…sorry. I'm really trying, though."

"I think we're here; there seems to be more room now," Grademon whispered.

"Who goes there?!" a voice said.

"We're the Digidestined, and we're here to kick your evil ass!" Nate said, and suddenly, two large flames appeared seemingly from nowhere on two torches, lighting up the cave, revealing that they were in a rather large room. At the opposite end of the room was a large throne with a tall red Digimon dressed in black sitting on it.

"Are you Phelesmon?" Emerilla asked.

"Yes, that is me," Phelesmon said, then turned to look at Wisemon. "Did these humans free you from your cage, wise guy?"

"Yes, and in return, I'll tell them how to use their keys once I remember how they work," Wisemon said, and Phelesmon began to laugh.

"That is absolutely pathetic! You go through all the work of finding the keys, and you don't have the slightest clue on how to use them!" Phelesmon practically fell off of his throne laughing.

"You have a friend of ours!" Nate said.

"What?"

"Give Shibumi back to us!" Tomoya shouted.

_What the hell is a Shibumi? Well, they seem pretty sure that I have it, whatever it is. Maybe I should keep letting them think that…_ "I'm afraid I cannot relinquish your friend! If you want to free Shibumi, you'll have to destroy me first!"

"That's what we're planning on doing! Candlemon Digivolve to, Wizardmon!"

"Agumon Digivolve to, Tyrannomon!"

"Betamon Digivolve to, Seadramon!"

"Tapirmon Digivolve to, Unimon!"

"Lunamon Digivolve to, Lekismon!"

"Salamon Digivolve to, Darcmon!"

"Hawkmon Digivolve to, Thunderbirdmon!"

"I'm ready to fight with honor!" Grademon said.

"Not for long, you're not; Demon's Shout!" Phelesmon opened his mouth, releasing black shockwaves that sent all eight Digimon crashing into the wall behind them. "Now, who should I play with first?" Phelesmon asked as he stood up, then suddenly lead toward Thunderbirdmon, and attempted to strike him with his trident, but before he could, Thunderbirdmon flew out of the way.

"Spark Wing!" Thunderbirdmon flapped a single wing, sending feathers that were practically glowing with electricity flying toward Phelesmon, who easily blocked the attack with his trident.

"Flying Digimon are no fun to play with; Black Statue!" Phelesmon pointed his trident at Thunderbirdmon, who began to glow black as he fell to the ground.

"Thunderbirdmon! What did you do to him?!" Theo asked.

"I turned him into a black stone statue. Flying Digimon are too hard to hit, so I turned him into that statue. Who would like to go next?!"

"Blaze Blast!"

"Electro Squall!"

"Aerial Attack!" the three attacks hit Phelesmon's back, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Black Statue!"

"Shine Barrier!" Darcmon's staff created a barrier of light that protected Tyrannomon, Wizardmon, and Unimon. However, the attack was able to go through and strike Darcmon, turning her into a statue.

"Darcmon, no!" Mia cried.

"Don't worry; if you want your friends to turn back, then all you have to do is kill me! Black Statue!" this time, Phelesmon aimed his trident at Lekismon right before she shot him with a Tear Arrow, stopping her attack.

"Ice Winder!" Seadramon wrapped his long body around Phelesmon's arms and legs, preventing him from moving. "Ice Blast!" Seadramon's attack struck Phelesmon right in the face.

"Not bad; I see you are no stranger to combat, but you really should be more careful of how you move!" Phelesmon said, and Seadramon turned his head just in time to see that he had inadvertently gotten in range of Phelesmon's attack. "Black Statue!" Seadramon tried to get out of the way of the attack, but he was too slow, and he also turned into a statue.

"Wisemon, I don't mean to rush, but you're going to have to hurry up!" Tomoya said.

"I know, I'm trying!" Wisemon said desperately.

"Aerial Attack!"

"Blaze Blast!"

"Electro Squall!" the three attacks hit Phelesmon once again, but he still didn't seem to notice.

"Magical Game!"

"Black Statue!" just before Phelesmon attacked, Wizardmon turned himself invisible as Unimon and Tyrannomon turned into statues. A blast of electricity hit Phelesmon from behind once again. "Still not strong enough, Champion!"

"Grade Cross!" Grademon attempted to attack Phelesmon's trident, but Phelesmon moved the trident out of the way just in time as he smacked Grademon with it, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Black Statue!" Phelesmon aimed his trident at Grademon, turning the brave warrior into a black statue.

"What are we supposed to do now? We only have one Digimon who can still fight, and Wisemon still hasn't remembered how we use the keys!" Mia said.

"Wait! I just remembered!" Wisemon shouted, and Phelesmon glanced at him. "All you have to do is aim your key at your Digi-"

"Black Statue!" Phelesmon aimed his trident at Wisemon, turning him into a black statue. "Now you shall never defeat me!"

"Not quite; I think I barely managed to catch what Wisemon said," Tomoya said. "Wizardmon, come here!" Wizardmon stopped being invisible right in front of his human partner. "Are you ready to Digivolve?"

"Whenever you are!" Wizardmon said.

"Prepare yourself, Phelesmon!" Tomoya said as he pointed his key at Wizardmon which shot a thin beam of light at him, causing him to become enveloped in light.

"Wizardmon Digivolve to, Mistymon!" Phelesmon took a step back as the heroic-looking Digimon approached him. "Are you prepared to die, fiend?"

"Black Statue!" Phelesmon aimed his trident at Mistymon, but nothing happened.

"That attack isn't going to work on me, Phelesmon. Core Dart!" the crystal ball in Mistymon's hand became surrounded in flames as he threw it at Phelesmon, completely destroying his trident.

"No! What have you done to my trident?!" Phelesmon asked.

"The same thing I'm going to do to you! Blast Fire!" Mistymon aimed his sword at Phelesmon which shot flames at the demon, sending him flying backward into his throne, making it collapse. The Digimon who had turned into statued turned back into Digimon, and the Champion level Digimon turned back into their Rookie levels. "Now, tell us where Shibumi is," Mistymon said calmly.

"I'm sorry, but your princess is in another castle," Phelesmon grunted.

"What?! What do you mean?!" Nate asked.

"Your friend, Shibumi…isn't here. Never was…" Phelesmon said.

"Why did you say you did?!" Emerilla asked.

"I didn't want you to leave…you see, I have fun turning living things into statues…"

"You freak!" Mia shouted.

"I've been called way worse than that in my life; I promise…well, this sucks. The game I created had a different turnout than I had expected…well, no sense in complaining…"

"So, where is Shibumi?!" Grademon asked.

"I honestly have no idea…but, even if I did know, I doubt I would…tell you…" Phelesmon turned back into data, which Mistymon absorbed before turning back into Candlemon.

"So, as I was saying, all you need to do is point the key at your Digimon!" Wisemon said. "But, it won't work all the time, like if there's no chance of your Digimon at the Champion level will lose, or something."

"I see…thanks for telling us, Wisemon," Nate said.

"That was well done, Tomoya and Candlemon," Grademon said.

"Yes, thank you for freeing us all from Phelesmon!" Tapirmon said.

"It truly was a remarkable battle," a voice said from the cave.

"Sanzomon?! What are you doing here?" Grademon asked.


	23. The Seven Deadly Sins

"Miss Sanzomon, what are you doing here?" Grademon asked.

"I came as soon as I knew you had found Phelesmon," Sanzomon said calmly. "I wanted to make sure you were able to handle such a strong opponent, and it seems that I was right in believing in you."

"How did you know where we were?" Mia asked, and Sanzomon ignored her.

"It seems Shibumi isn't here after all…" Sanzomon said solemnly.

"Devimon lied to us, didn't he?!" Nate said.

"I had the feeling that he might have when he left without warning…"

"Don't get too mad at him; after all, he did kill Kimeramon for us," Grademon said.

"Anyway, I do have another reason for coming here; it has to do with why you were all chosen to be Digidestined," Sanzomon said, looking at the humans. "Wisemon, you may stay here too, if you'd like."

"Sure, I'd be honored!" Wisemon said happily.

"Why were the seven of us chosen over any other kids in the city?" Theo asked.

"You guys aren't going to believe this, but…my parents have been to the Digital World before," Tomoya said. "They came twenty years ago with their own Digimon partners, so that may be why I was chosen."

"Your parents came here too?!" Emerilla exclaimed.

"You too, Emerilla?!"

"Yeah; I didn't want to say anything, because I didn't know if my parents wanted me to tell all of you what they went through!"

"…Same here…" Lilac said softly.

"Even you?" Emerilla asked, and Lilac nodded slowly.

"My parents never said anything about coming here," Theo said, and Mia and Nate shook their heads in agreement. "What about you, Dalton?"

"Well, Aunt Jeri and Uncle Takato told me about when they went, but my father went unmentioned…" Dalton said with a yawn.

"The fact that some of your parents have been here before had very little to do with why you were chosen, although it was easier to pick you four over any others due to your parent's contact with the Digimon," Sanzomon said to Dalton, Emerilla, Lilac, and Tomoya. "However, it had nothing why all seven of you were chosen as a group."

"So, why were we chosen?" Mia asked.

Sanzomon took a deep breath. "There are seven deadly sins within either a person or a Digimon; Lust, Gluttony, Envy, Greed, Wrath, Sloth, and Pride. While these desires are necessary to understand what it means to be a living being, an excessive in any of these sins will completely destroy you."

"So, let me get this straight; the Digital World needed a group of humans to save us, but whoever picked us did so to save our souls?!" Nate asked.

"Indeed; for example, you, Nathan, carry the sin of lust in your soul."

"That doesn't really surprise me," Nate said with composure.

"You, Mia, carry the sin of gluttony in your soul," Sanzomon said.

"Gluttony?! But…I'm not fat!" Mia said defensively. "…Am I?"

"Yeah, I've been meaning to tell you that you look like you've put on a couple pounds too much lately," Nate said jokingly as Mia picked up a large rock and threw it at his head, making him fall down.

"You can be a glutton for more than food, my dear. The primary characteristic of gluttons is that they want things to the point of waste. You, Theodore, carry the sin of greed in your soul."

"To be honest, I know I'm probably the greediest person alive, but what's the difference between greed and gluttony?" Theo asked.

"As I explained before, gluttons want things to the point of waste, while the greedy are in pursuit of material possessions. Lilac, my dear, you carry the sin of envy in your soul. Tomoya, you carry wrath. Emerilla, you carry pride. And Dalton, you carry sloth…Dalton? Are you ok?"

"Oh, he's just sleeping standing up again," Mia said. "WAKE UP!"

"Wha…what do you want?" Dalton asked sleepily.

"You carry the sin of sloth in your soul," Sanzomon said.

"All right…" Dalton said, before falling asleep once again.

"This is a…really weird reason to be pulled into the Digital World like we have," Emerilla said.

"Perhaps, but it is the hope of those who chose you that your souls will become cleansed in return for you saving the Digital World," Sanzomon said.

"My, what an equivalent exchange," Theo said. "So, how do we rid ourselves of these sins?"

"It is better to find out for yourselves. Trust me, you will know. Grademon, I think I'll temporarily move in here. Do you mind?"

"Really? The…sense of darkness doesn't daunt you at all?" Grademon asked.

"Please, Phelesmon's dead. There's no danger any more…you don't have to stay here if you don't like, you know."

"I could never leave my Mistress Sanzomon," Grademon said, bowing on one knee.

"And it's really ok if I stay here too?" Wisemon asked.

"Of course; you are quite possibly as smart as the Sovereigns, Wisemon, and the Digital World may need that knowledge to save it," Sanzomon said.

"Wow, thank you!" Wisemon said, and then turned to the humans. "I actually had no idea that you were the Digidestined when I first saw you! I thought you were just a group of nice humans who just wanted Phelesmon dead, but it turns out you're both!"

"Yeah, thanks, Wisemon," Tomoya said, shaking the eager Digimon's hand.

"I just know you'll all be able to save the Digital World!" Wisemon said excitedly.

"Digidestined, know too, that I will always have faith in whatever you decide to do, because I know, whatever it may be, it will be the right thing to do," Grademon said.

"Thank you, Grademon! We couldn't have made it all this way without your help!" Mia said.

"No, I must thank you, children; before I met you, I had no hope that the Digital World would be returned to normal, but your light has given me hope. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."

"Digidestined, there is a forest nearby," Sanzomon said. "If you venture into it, you might find the answers you seek."

"A forest in the middle of a wasteland?" Theo asked.

"Strange as it sounds, there is a forest to the north of this cave."

"How do you know all of this stuff?" Mia asked.

"It just comes to me, you know? Now, it may not show you the whereabouts of Shibumi, but I'm sure you'll discover many other things there as well."

"Well, I guess we might as well go," Nate said, walking toward the exit of the cave.

"What do you think we may discover in that forest, Tomoya?" Candlemon asked.

"Well, if it doesn't involve Shibumi, it probably has something to do with our sins," Tomoya said.

"Sanzomon said yours was wrath, didn't she?"

"Yeah…I'm not too surprised, though…for whatever reason, I've felt like…I've been angry my entire life."


	24. The Tree of Insights

"Wow, this forest sure is foggy," Mia said after about ten minutes of walking through the forest. "We sure are lucky that we have Candlemon with us to lighten up the place."

"I don't see any living thing in here at all," Emerilla said. "How are we supposed to find answers if there isn't anyone here.

"Maybe there's like a library or something in here," Nate asked.

"Yeah, like you would know what one is," Emerilla grunted.

"Do you think maybe we should go back?" Theo asked. "If we go any deeper into this forest, we'll get lost for sure."

"Well, as long as you think it's a good idea, then it probably is the best thing to do," Emerilla said. "All right; let's head back to Sanzomon, guys!"

"The fog seems to be getting thicker and thicker," Mia said after about three minutes. "Hey, where's Candlemon?"

"I can't find Tomoya either!" Nate said.

"Typical; that idiot couldn't find his way out of an empty room," Emerilla snapped. "I guess we'll have to look for him, then!"

"What should we do? Should we split up and look for him or stay together?" Mia asked.

"I think it would be best to split up; even though we all may get lost, it'll make searching for Tomoya easier," Theo said.

"Yeah, but it'll make searching for the rest of us a pain in the ass!" Nate said.

"Fine; I'll go with Lunamon; the rest of you can stay in this big group!" Emerilla said, walking away from the others with Lunamon.

* * *

"Tomoya, are you ok?" Candlemon asked.

"…I'm fine."

"So, why did you walk away from the others?"

"I just needed some time alone, ok? Especially from Nate."

"Oh, Tomoya, I know you and Nate have been arguing a lot lately, but that doesn't mean you should shut yourself off from the others, especially me and Nate!"

"…Whatever."

"…So, when do you think we'll be heading back?"

"When I feel like it."

"Hey, kid, come 'ere for sec, would ya'?" a voice said.

"Who said that?" Tomoya asked.

"I did…right in front of you!" Tomoya looked at the large tree in front of him, but saw nobody.

"I still don't see you!"

"Ah, you're looking, but you aren't seeing."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Just focus and look straight ahead." Tomoya looked at the tree longer, and suddenly, he saw the recognizable features of a face. "See me yet?"

"You're a Cherrymon," Tomoya said with a mild disdain.

"Please, say it like you're pleased to see me, kid; after all, I'm 'ere to help," Cherrymon said.

"Sorry, but I don't need help with anything. Now, if you don't mind-"

"You most certainly do have a problem, kid," Cherrymon said sternly. "Look, I see everything that goes on in this forest, and I can clearly see that you do in fact have a problem!"

"Even if I did have a problem – which I don't – I wouldn't be talking to a Cherrymon about it!" Tomoya snapped.

"Why, I have never been so insulted in all of my life!"

"Sorry, but I've seen what a Cherrymon is capable of doing to people who are in a bad mood like me," Tomoya said, remembering the Cherrymon that spoke to Matt on the TV show.

"So what? Just because that Cherrymon was a bad apple doesn't mean that I am, right?"

"Maybe we should at least listen to what he has to say, Tomoya," Candlemon said.

"All right, all right. So, what do you have to say to me?"

"You know, the reason you're mad is because another in that group of yours knows just the right way to push your buttons."

"I already know what Nate's capable of, thank you very much!"

"Are you sure? As I already said, I see everything that goes on in the forest, and I can see every move your friends make. They all notice you're gone, and sure, some of them are worried, but do you know what Nate's doing this very second?"

"That idiot probably hasn't even realized I've left…"

"Au contraire; he was the first to notice, and boy is he happy! He's saying that, with you gone, he can finally become the leader of the Digidestined!"

"What?!"

"It's true, kiddo; he's as relieved as can be with you gone, said you did a pretty crummy – well, he used a different word, but I'd prefer not to repeat it – job of leading everyone around aimlessly, and now that he's in charge, he can lead everyone the way he wants to!"

"No…no way…that just can't be! At school, he never had any desire to be the leader of any group he was placed in, no matter what it was! No…Nate just wouldn't say that!"

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"Y…you must be lying! Nate would never say anything like that! This is some sort of trick, isn't it?!"

"Well, there is one way to find out if I am lying or not, my boy." Tomoya eyed Cherrymon suspiciously, but listened to what he had to say. "Go out and find a certain Digimon called Mercurymon; he's a mystic seer who lives deep in the mountains, and his mirrors display nothing but the truth."

"And how do I know he won't lie to me?!"

"Uh, Tomoya…I've actually heard of this Mercurymon before," Candlemon said. "They say that he is the most neutral Digimon in the Digital World, which is why he made it hard for other Digimon to find him. His mirrors show the truth of whatever the traveler wants to know, and Mercurymon is said to never turn down a request of anyone who manages to find him, good or evil."

"…All right, I'll go. How do I get there?"

"My friend has been there numerous times," Cherrymon said. "Come on out, my friend!" the trees parted as a large Kuwagamon walked up to Tomoya and Candlemon.

"Are you ready to go to the mountains, kid?" Kuwagamon asked kindly.

"I…I'm not sure about right now…I should at least go back to my friends first," Tomoya said absentmindedly.

"I see…well, whenever you're ready to go, blow on this whistle, and I'll find you and take you to see Mercurymon," Kuwagamon said, handing Tomoya a whistle.

"I understand that you need to go back to your friends first, but this is not something you ought to delay!" Cherrymon said.

"…I understand. Well, Cherrymon, I guess I ought to thank you, then," Tomoya said, pulling out his key and pointing it at Candlemon.

"Candlemon Warp Digivolve to, Mistymon!"

"W…What are you doing?" Cherrymon asked nervously.

"My partner and I have come to an unspoken agreement," Mistymon said.

"I honestly believe that you have not tried to trick me in any way, but, seeing as how you are a Cherrymon, you must die," Tomoya said. "I can't leave you alive only for you to mess with other innocent Digimon."

"Yep; time to die, you old coot. Blast Fire!"

"Oh, the horror!" Cherrymon screamed as Mistymon's flames completely enveloped him, instantly killing him as Mistymon absorbed his data before turning back into Candlemon. Kuwagamon stood trembling as he saw his friend die, afraid that he might be next.

"…I'll hold onto this," Tomoya said, holding up the whistle. When he and Candlemon turned to walk away from Kuwagamon, Kuwagamon practically passed out from relief.


	25. Judgment Day

A/N: Prepare for a VERY long chapter.

* * *

"Hawkmon, how long do you think it's been since Tomoya's left?" Theo asked.

"Methinks he hast been gone for over a week," Hawkmon said. "And the time of departure from our other friends is one day less. Just be glad the forest has lost all of its fog."

"Do you think that maybe…Tomoya's dead?" Theo asked.

"Doubtfully; Tomoya is much too stubborn to die like this."

"Hold on a sec; do you hear that?"

"I hear nothing, Theo. What is it you think you hear?"

"It kind of sounds like…someone's singing. And it's coming from over there! Come on!" Theo ran off in the direction he heard the voice coming from.

"Theo, wait! Oh, sometimes, you can be downright infuriating!" Hawkmon said, flying after his partner.

"It's coming from that lake," Theo said quietly, looking through the trees at a lake to see a woman swimming with an armful of treasure.

"Oh, dear, it's Mermaimon," Hawkmon said disdainfully. "Theo, do thyself a favor and stay away from that woman; she is nothing but trouble!"

"But…"

"Listen, Theodore; that woman is nothing more than a common thief who lives for the thrill of stealing what she has no right taking!"

"Excuse me!" a short Digimon said, walking up to Theo and Hawkmon. "Have either of you seen a woman with an armful of jewels and stuff around here?"

"Yes, actually-"

"No, we haven't seen anyone fitting that description!" Theo said, interrupting his Digimon.

"I see; sorry to disturb you, then!" the Digimon said running off.

"Who was that?"

"That was a Dracmon, a mischievous prankster," Hawkmon said. "But that is beside the point; why didst thou lie to Dracmon?"

"I just want to speak with that Mermaimon, ok?" Theo said, walking between the trees and through the lake to get to Mermaimon. "Excuse me, Mermaimon?"

"What do you want?" Mermaimon asked suspiciously.

"I, uh, saw that Dracmon you stole from, and I pointed him in the wrong direction for you," Theo said.

"Oh, you did? Well, that was nice of you! You got a name, handsome?"

"You can just call me Theo."

"Well, Theo, what made you decide to talk to me?"

"Well, to be honest, you kind of remind me of myself."

"Really? In what way?"

"You're a greedy thief, Mermaimon, taking only what does not belong to you. I like that."

"Well, then, how would you like to work alongside me?"

"Are you serious?! Theo asked excitedly.

"I am; as you could probably tell from my name, I don't travel well on land," Mermaimon said embarrassedly. "I'd need someone like you to help me with the land heists….someone…willing to do exactly as I say."

"I'm in!" Theo exclaimed.

"Theo, I must protest!" Hawkmon said disdainfully. "As a Digidestined, thou cannot go around stealing what doesn't belong to thee!"

"Ignore him, Mermaimon; so, when do we get started?"

"Whenever you want, Theo."

"Well, that does bloody does it! If thou want to be with this treacherous thief, go ahead, but I'll have no part in it!" Hawkmon snapped, flying away.

* * *

"Hey, where is everybody?!" Tomoya asked once he had entered Phelesmon's old hideout.

"We were only gone for about twenty minutes; they couldn't have given up on us that easily!" Candlemon said. "Unless…"

"Unless what?" Tomoya asked nervously.

"That fog that used to be covering that forest…it may have been Cherrymon's attack called Illusion Mist, making it seem like less time passed than what really did! That would explain why the fog disappeared right after I killed Cherrymon!"

"And so they've all split up to look for me for who knows how long!" Tomoya said, and then pulled out the whistle Kuwagamon gave him.

"I don't think you should use that just yet," Candlemon said as they walked out of the cave. "At least…just wait until we find at least one other friend of ours!" as soon as he had said that, Hawkmon come out of nowhere and crash-landed on top of Tomoya.

"Tomoya?! Candlemon?! Are thee real and not some mental illusion?!" Hawkmon exclaimed.

"Yeah, we're real," Tomoya said.

"Where's Theo and the others? How long have we been gone?" Candlemon asked.

"It hast been two weeks since thou disappeared," Hawkmon said.

"An entire week passed and we didn't even know about it!" Tomoya said, causing Hawkmon to gaze at him in wonder.

"Really, Tomoya; I had heard thou art unobservant, but to not notice an entire week go by?!"

"It wasn't our fault; it was a Cherrymon's Illusion Mist attack!" Candlemon said.

"Oh, I see."

"So, where's Theo?" Tomoya asked.

"Hmph, don't speak to me about that lad!"

"Why not? Did you two have an argument or something?" Candlemon asked.

"It be far worse than that; for about a week now, Theo has been working alongside a treacherous woman called Mermaimon."

"What are they doing?" Tomoya asked.

"They art acting as common criminals, stealing anything that isn't nailed to the floor!" Hawkmon said disdainfully.

"Well, Theo's sin is greed, so it does make sense," Tomoya said.

"That is what is angering me so much! It was only a week since Sanzomon told everyone of their sins, and Theo seems to have utterly forgotten everything she has said!"

"All right, I'll try and talk some sense into that kid…"

* * *

"All right, here's all the treasure you asked for this time, plus more," Theo said, dumping all of the gold treasure he had found into Mermaimon's secret stash.

"Wow, it really is more! Well done, Theo!" Mermaimon said happily. "You're learning this stuff quicker than I did!"

"Well, I did learn from the best, after all," Theo said modestly.

"AHA! Mermaimon!" a voice said from behind Theo.

"Oh no, Gargoylemon!" Mermaimon exclaimed.

"We have a warrant for the arrest of both you and the human!" Gargoylemon said. "Seize the human, Piximon!" the two small Piximon went up beside Theo and grabbed his arms, forcing him to walk where they chose.

_The eyes of those Piximon…they seem darker than normal…_

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney, and since there is no currency in the Digital World, one will be appointed to you," Gargoylemon read the Digital World's version of the Miranda Rights.

"Theo, what are we going to do?!" Mermaimon asked desperately.

"Don't worry, Mermaimon; I think I've watched enough _Law & Order_ to know how to get us out of this," Theo said. _At least, I hope so…_ Soon, Gargoylemon and the Piximon had brought Theo and Mermaimon to what appeared to be an outside courtroom.

"May I present to you the Honorable Judge Zudomon!" Gargoylemon said, motioning to the large blue walrus-like Digimon in the judge's chair.

"Order in the court!" Zudomon said, smacking the sound block (that little wooden thingy that judges hit with their gavels) with his hammer.

"Uh…Sir Zudomon, the jury has yet to arrive," Gargoylemon whispered.

"I knew that!" Zudomon said boisterously. "Bring them in already!" Zudomon roared as the thirteen members of the jury sat down across from him. Theo recognized eleven of them as the Rookie-level partners of the Digidestined from the TV show, as well as a Gatomon and the Dracmon he saw a week ago.

_Strange…all of their eyes seem to be darker than normal, just like the two Piximon, and even Zudomon! Well, Dracmon doesn't seem to have eyes, but…_

"On the charge of stealing from all of these innocents, how do you plea, Theo and Mermaimon?" Zudomon asked.

"Not guilty!" Theo and Mermaimon said unanimously.

"Where is your lawyer?"

"Here I am! Sorry I'm late!" a Vademon said. This Vademon was dressed in a black suit jacket, complete with a red necktie. The Vademon also had dark eyes.

"Oh, jeez, not Vademon…" Theo moaned as the Vademon, which he thought of as the most insane Digimon in the entire Digital World, approached them.

"Remember, deny everything!" Vademon whispered. "I apologize, bailiff, but how did the defendants plea?"

"Not guilty!" Gargoylemon said, rather annoyed.

"Oh, good choice!" Vademon said happily, giving both Theo and Mermaimon a thumbs-up.

"This is going to be a long day…" Theo moaned.

"So, do you guys have any evidence that my employees committed the crime that you are accusing them of?" Vademon asked.

"Yes, every member of the jury here has witnessed them," Gargoylemon said.

"Oh…well, then, I'd like to call a witness to the stand; Gatomon, perhaps?" the Gatomon in the jury did as she was told without question. "Gatomon, did you witness my clients stealing from you?"

"Yes, they stole my tail ring," Gatomon said, showing her ringless tail.

"Huh…well, does anyone else have anything else to say?" Vademon asked.

"Yeah, they stole some of my fish friends!" Gomamon said.

"They stole my fur coat," Gabumon said, trying to hide.

"MY FUCKING SANDWICH!" Agumon screamed.

"Well, do any of you have any proof that my clients stole from you?" Vademon asked. "If not, then all we have to go by is the words of a biased jury; hardly a reason to send my clients to jail, if you ask me."

"I recorded them committing the crime," Dracmon said, holding up a video camera. "Perhaps you'd like to take a look, Vademon?"

"OBJECTION!" Theo shouted.

"Overruled; Dracmon is not a lawyer," Zudomon said. "Proceed."

"Thank you, sir," Dracmon said, handing the camera to Vademon.

"Oh, my…" Vademon said with a disturbed look on his face. "Why did you steal that sandwich?"

"I was hungry!" Theo said.

"So was I," Agumon grunted.

"I guess I can't really argue with evidence like this, can I?" Vademon asked. "It seems as clears as day that Theo is the only one committing theft."

"What?!" Theo shouted in disbelief.

"I'm seeing no footage of Mermaimon stealing anything," Vademon said. "Therefore, you, Theo, shall be the only one sentenced."

"On the account of theft, how does the jury find Theo?" Zudomon asked.

"Guilty!" Gatomon said.

"On the account of theft, how does the jury find Mermaimon?" Zudomon asked.

"Not guilty!"

"Case dismissed; Vulcan's Hammer!" Zudomon slammed his hammer down with incredible force on the sound block. "Take him away, Gargoylemon!"

"Yes sir!" Gargoylemon said, grabbing Theo by the arm.

"Well, that hardly seemed like a fair trial," Tomoya said, having secretly watched the trial from a tree with Candlemon and Hawkmon.

"Well, they aren't completely wrong, either," Hawkmon said. "Theo really did commit those crimes, and so did Mermaimon."

"But they let Mermaimon go free," Candlemon said. "It's like they're trying to frame Theo!"

"Theo did greedily steal, but we cannot have him in jail if we are to save the Digital World!" Hawkmon said.

"Maybe…perhaps Mermaimon was trying to do this to Theo from the very beginning?" Tomoya suggested.

"Of course; that would explain everything! And Vademon, Zudomon, Gargoylemon, and the jury are all in on it too!" Hawkmon said.

"Well, come on; we've got to bust Theo out of jail!" Candlemon said, jumping out of the tree alongside Hawkmon and Tomoya.

"Hey, wait just a minute!" Tomoya shouted at Gargoylemon.

"Tomoya?!" Theo exclaimed in disbelief.

"That's our friend you're taking to jail!" Candlemon said.

"So what? This human thought it would be funny to try and steal from innocent Digimon and get away with it!" Gargoylemon said.

"Yeah, we know he committed a crime," Candlemon said.

"Several crimes," Zudomon corrected.

"Ok, we know he committed several crimes, but we need his help to save the Digital World!" Tomoya said.

"What an absolute joke!" Gargoylemon laughed. "Even his lawyer thinks he should go to jail!"

"Yeah, but,"

"Now, get out of my way so I can take him to jail where he belongs!"

"I don't think so! Candlemon Digivolve to, Wizardmon! Magical Game!" Wizardmon turned invisible, and then, without warning, a bolt of lightning struck Gargoylemon's back, making him let go of Theo.

"Theo, art thou all right?" Hawkmon asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine…Hawkmon, I thought you weren't going to speak to me ever again," Theo said.

"How could I not? Thou art my human partner; without you, I would not be able to soar through the skies as Thunderbirdmon!"

"Speaking of Thunderbirdmon, what say we get him to get us out of here?"

"Splendid idea; Hawkmon Digivolve to, Thunderbirdmon!"

"Anchor Blitz!" Mermaimon kissed her anchor and swung it, creating an energy wave that struck Thunderbirdmon, making him fall to the ground.

"Mermaimon, what are you doing?!" Theo asked.

"Well, my little plan to 'get you in jail' failed, so I decided to take matters into my own hands," Mermaimon said.

"Why?!"

"Isn't it obvious? I thought if you were overwhelmed with the sin of greed, you'd be unable to help out your Digidestined friends! Of course, I wouldn't have been able to do all of this on my own, so I used my Charm Plunder attack to take over the minds of Gargoylemon, Vademon, Zudomon, and every member of the jury, which turned out better than I thought until angry boy over there showed up," Mermaimon said, looking at Tomoya. "Also, I'm going to let you in on a little secret; in the Digital World, there is no need for prisons. We don't take prisoners! Anchor Blitz!"

"Thunderstorm!" Thunderbirdmon flapped his wings, sending Mermaimon's attack back at her.

"Thunderbirdmon…I'm sorry for being so greedy. Could you ever forgive me?" Theo asked.

"I will if thou promise to never wrongfully steal another thing ever again," Thunderbirdmon said.

"Yes, of course; I promise I'll never steal again!" Theo said.

"Oh, you little brat! Anchor Blitz!" Mermaimon aimed her attack at Theo, but Thunderbirdmon flew in front of him just in time to protect him.

"Thunderbirdmon, are you ok?!"

"Yeah…I am still able to fight! But…I'll need a little help. Mermaimon is an Ultimate, and I am but a Champion…"

"Gotcha; I've got just the thing to even the odds!" Theo said, taking out his key and aiming it at Thunderbirdmon, making a thin beam of light shoot out of it at Thunderbirdmon, making the Digimon become completely enveloped in light.

"Thunderbirdmon Digivolve to, Parrotmon!"

"Damn it, so you're an Ultimate now too, huh?!" Mermaimon hissed. "Doesn't matter; I can still beat you; Anchor-"

"I don't think so!" Parrotmon shouted as he punched Mermaimon in the stomach, stopping her from attacking. "Mjollnir Lightning!" from his forehead, Parrotmon unleashed a powerful blast of electricity that struck Mermaimon, instantly killing her, making her turn into data which Parrotmon absorbed before turning back into Hawkmon.

"Wow, that was a cool Digivolution!" Tomoya said.

"Ow, my head…" Gargoylemon said weakly, struggling to stand up.

"What just happened? How did I end up in this forest?" Zudomon asked.

"You were all being controlled by a Digimon called Mermaimon!" Theo said to all the Digimon, whose eyes all stopped being dark now that Mermaimon was dead.

"I've heard of Mermaimon before," Vademon said. "She's supposed to be able to sing to any Digimon and control their minds however she wants."

"Is that what happened? I don't recall that happening," Zudomon said.

"Don't worry, I have just destroyed the foul Mermaimon, so thou aren't in any danger anymore," Hawkmon said.

"You did? Well, thanks, little guy! I should be heading home now," Zudomon said, walking away, along with every other Digimon (besides Candlemon and Hawkmon.)

"Good job out there, Hawkmon. Thank you for forgiving me," Theo said.

"It is as I said; thou promised to end thy insatiable greed, so it only be natural that I forgive thee," Hawkmon said.

"Listen, Theo…there's something I need to go do," Tomoya said.

"What?"

"There's a Digimon up in the mountains called Mercurymon…he has the answers I seek, so I have to go see him."

"Ok, I'll come with you, then!"

"No; you and Hawkmon need to work toward trying to find the others, and I'll join up with you when I'm done."

"Well, all right…you are the leader, so I guess I trust you, then," Theo said.

"I wish thee luck on thy quest," Hawkmon said.

"Thanks…same here," Tomoya said, taking out the whistle Kuwagamon gave him, blowing on it, and instantly, the giant red beetle was there.

"Are you ready to go to the mountains, Tomoya?" Kuwagamon asked.

"Yes."

"All right, you and Candlemon climb on," Kuwagamon said, lowering himself so Tomoya and Candlemon could climb on his back. "And away we go!" Kuwagamon said excitedly as he took off.

"Well, there they go," Theo said.

"Theo, what is that?" Hawkmon said, pointing to something that was glowing in front of them.

"I'm not sure…" suddenly, the glowing stopped, and Theo could clearly see Sanzomon standing in front of him, although she was rather transparent. "Sanzomon?!"

"No…I am not Sanzomon, and yet I am at the same time."

"I don't understand."

"It is all right; just think of me as a hologram. Anyway, I have something for you…from the real Sanzomon. For overcoming your avaricious greed, I present to you this lock," the Sanzomon hologram handed Theo a green key lock. "You have successfully locked up your greed. That is what this lock symbolizes. If you still had the slightest amount of greed within you, you would not be able to touch this."

"Uh…thank you, Sanzomon," Theo said, but the hologram had already disappeared.

"Theo, look; there's a keyhole on the bottom! Try placing that key in it!" Hawkmon said.

"All right, here goes," Theo said, putting the key in the lock, but the key wouldn't turn either direction. "That's weird; the key fits perfectly, but it won't move!"

"Regardless, thou ought to hold on to it; it could prove to be useful in the near future."

* * *

"Well, another soldier destroyed," Dracmon said, looking at the exact spot Mermaimon was killed. "First Cherrymon, then Mermaimon…she had such a good plan, too, but it was ruined by the one Cherrymon's plan successfully worked on! How's that for irony? Well, I'd better head back to report what happened."

* * *

A/N: Sorry if I got anything a judge would say incorrect.


	26. Bloodlust

"Well, well…DemiDevimon, it looks like we've got two to deal with."

"Yes ma'am, LadyDevimon!" DemiDevimon said. "Which one do you want to take?"

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, the sins of those two are lust and sloth. Obviously, it goes without saying that I should handle the horny one; you can deal with the lazy one," LadyDevimon said.

"Yes ma'am!" DemiDevimon said happily, saluting LadyDevimon.

"Wait for me to separate the two, then you move in, got it!"

"Yes ma'am!"

* * *

"I'm beginning to think that we shouldn't have split up," Nate said. "We're so lost, we can't even find the forest anymore!"

"Take it easy, buddy…we'll find them…sooner or later," Dalton said with a yawn.

"Help! Somebody, help me!"

"Did you hear that?" Agumon asked.

"Yeah, it was a woman! She needs our help!" Nate said excitedly, and the next thing he knew, a LadyDevimon came flying by, being chased by a Digimon he recognized as Bullmon.

"Please, help me!" LadyDevimon said specifically to Nate.

"Don't worry; we'll protect you, right, Agumon?"

"Right; Agumon Digivolve to, Tyrannomon! Blaze Blast!" Tyrannomon opened his mouth and unleashed a powerful flame that instantly killed the Bullmon.

"Oh, thank you! I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't saved me!" LadyDevimon said to Nate.

"Aw, it was nothing, really," Nate said modestly.

"I was the one who did all the work," Tyrannomon said, turning back into Agumon.

"Bite your tongue, lizard!" LadyDevimon hissed, attacking Agumon with an Evil Wing attack. Nate watched in shock, but LadyDevimon stroked his face to get his attention, making him completely forget what had just happened.

"Agumon, are you ok?" Betamon asked, running over to the unconscious Rookie.

"Nate, what are you doing?" Dalton asked, but Nate ignored him as he was now making out with LadyDevimon. "Nate, you horny bastard, your making out with the Digimon that just tried to kill yours!" again, Nate ignored him.

"Seems like he needs a little wake up shock," Betamon said, but before he could attack, the DemiDevimon flew in front of both of them.

"Evil Whisper!" violet circles came from the DemiDevimon's eyes and into Betamon's and Dalton's, making them both fall asleep. "Hahaha! That attack works better the lazier the victim is! Oh, Dracmon, I believe now is the perfect time to work your magic!"

"I've told you before, DemiDevimon; don't give me orders, even if I do agree with them!" Dracmon said, stepping out from behind a rock and walking behind LadyDevimon so as to face Nate. "Eye of Nightmare!" Dracmon shouted once Nate opened his eyes, causing the eyes on Dracmon's hands to glow, and without realizing it, Nate's surroundings turned into a house.

"We're here, my knight in shining armor," LadyDevimon said seductively.

"Where? Oh, how long have we been here?" Nate asked.

"Not very long; you were pretty distracted, weren't you?"

"Yeah…sorry about that…

"Don't worry…let's just move to the bed, shall we?"

* * *

"Theo, dost thou have the slightest clue what thy art doing?" Hawkmon asked.

"Actually, I do; I'm using my Digivice to see if anyone else is nearby," Theo said, looking at his Digivice. "Aha; I see two dots close to each other, and they're rather close to us as well!"

"And that doth mean…"

"There are two others nearby; come on, Hawkmon!" Theo said while running.

"Righto!" after about ten minutes of running and flying, they came across a house. "Rather unusual place for a house…"

"But that's where our friends are! Come on!" Theo said as he went to the front door, but as soon as he did, a small Digimon leaped from the roof and landed between him and the door. "Hey, aren't you Dracmon?"

"Yeah, that's the name. And you're that greedy kid, aren't you?"

"Not anymore, I'm not. Wait, Mermaimon brainwashed everyone in the jury, and when Parrotmon killed her, nobody remembered anything! So how do you-"

"Isn't it obvious? I was never brainwashed!"

"Wait…so, you worked for Mermaimon all along?"

"Well, it's more like she worked for me; or, rather, my uncle. But there's no need for you to worry about any of this, because very soon, you'll cease to exist! Undead Fang!"

"Feather Strike!" Hawkmon threw the feather on his head at the attacking Rookie, striking his lower jaw. "Hawkmon Digivolve to, Thunderbirdmon!"

"Tch, I guess I know when I'm outclassed! See you later. Trust me, you will!" Dracmon said, jumping on top of the house and once he was completely gone, the house vanished, revealing that Dalton and Betamon were asleep on the ground, being watched by DemiDevimon, and Nate and LadyDevimon were still making out.

"Dalton! Wake up!" Theo said, shaking the older Digidestined.

"Oh, no you don't! Demi Dart!"

"Spark Wing!" Thunderbirdmon flung an electrified feather at the syringe DemiDevimon threw, making it explode. The sound of the explosion caused Dalton and Betamon to wake up.

"Oh, great, I'll have to put you all to sleep this time! Evil-"

"Not this time! Betamon Digivolve to, Seadramon! Ice Blast!" Seadramon's attack instantly froze and killed DemiDevimon.

"Why…is Nate making out with a LadyDevimon?" Theo asked.

"See, this is the stuff that happens when you fall asleep, Dalton!" Seadramon said.

"All right, I'm sorry…" Dalton said with a yawn.

"You need to stop being so lazy so this kind of thing won't happen while you're out!"

"Ok, ok, I'll try to be more alert! I promise!"

"Good, now let's stop that LadyDevimon!"

"Wait, why do we need to attack her?" Theo asked.

"She attacked Agumon for no reason!" Dalton said.

"Well, that's a good enough reason for me; come on, Seadramon!"

"Ice Winder!"

"Black Wing!" LadyDevimon turned her right hand into a spear and struck Seadramon in the neck, making him turn back into Betamon.

"Spark Wing!"

"Evil Wing!" in response to Thunderbirdmon's attack, LadyDevimon unleashed countless bats to counter it. "Darkness Wave!" from her left hand, she unleashed dark energy toward Thunderbirdmon, making him turn back into Hawkmon.

"Oh, no; what are we going to do now?" Theo asked.

"You guys…really couldn't have forgotten about me, right?" Agumon said weakly, struggling to stand up. "Agumon Digivolve to, Tyrannomon!"

"Black Wing!" once again, LadyDevimon turned her left arm into a spear that she thrust at Tyrannomon, who caught the attack in both hands, but still struggled against LadyDevimon's strength.

"Nate, Tyrannomon needs your help!" Betamon said, but Nate ignored him.

"NATE!" Hawkmon shouted, but Nate didn't hear him. Suddenly, Nate's key fell from his pocket and landed on the floor, aimed right at Tyrannomon just as LadyDevimon's strength overcame his, and he let go of her attack. The key shot a thin beam of light from it at Tyrannomon, making him become completely enveloped in light just before LadyDevimon's attack hit his chest.

"Tyrannomon Digivolve to, MetalTyrannomon!" LadyDevimon's arm spear hit MetalTyrannomon on his newly armored chest, making the spear break.

"NO! You broke it!" LadyDevimon shrieked, clutching her arm in pain.

"Aw, send me the bill!" MetalTyrannomon said sarcastically, aiming his left arm at LadyDevimon once she had flown away from Nate.

"MetalTyrannomon, what are you doing?!" Nate asked in horror.

"Nate, she tried to kill me and our other friends she must die!" MetalTyrannomon said.

"Darkness-"

"Nuclear Laser!" MetalTyrannomon fired an energy blast from his left hand, completely destroying LadyDevimon, turning her back into data which MetalTyrannomon absorbed before turning back into Agumon. "Please try to understand, Nate…she was an evil Digimon. If I hadn't killed her, she would've-"

"Yeah, yeah, I understand…I'm just glad you stopped her before it was too late," Nate said. "I'm sorry I ignored you guys."

"Geez, and I thought lazy Dalton was bad," Betamon said. "You need to learn chastity!"

"Yeah, I know…sorry, everyone…" just then, the transparent form of Sanzomon appeared before the three boys and their Digimon. "Whoa, Sanzomon?!" Nate exclaimed.

"Nate…Dalton…congratulations on overcoming your vices," the Sanzomon hologram said.

"Are you going to give them locks too?" Theo asked.

"Correct; as a reward for overcoming your vices, please take these lock, symbolizing the fact that you have 'locked away' your sins of lust and sloth."

"Thank you," Dalton said as he received the yellow lock and Nate received an orange one.

"Do they do anything special?" Nate asked, but it was too late; Sanzomon had already left.

"As far as I know, they don't really do anything," Theo said.

"So, you've already gotten yours?" Nate asked.

"Yeah, and I've already tried putting my key in it, but it didn't do anything."

"Well, come on, everyone; we need to find the others!" Dalton said.


	27. The Tears of Envy

"Lilac, are you ok?" Tapirmon asked. For weeks now, it seems as though they had been walking in circles.

"Yes, I'm fine, Tapirmon. You don't need to worry about me," Lilac said.

"Sanzomon said that your sin was envy, but I don't really get it. What do you have to be envious of? You've got lots of friends and a nice family," Tapirmon said. "Sanzomon must be wrong!"

"No…she's not wrong. Envy…yes, I think that describes me pretty well…"

"Well, you don't have to worry about it, Lilac; I'm sure you'll be able to overcome it like Sanzomon said!"

"Thank you, Tapirmon," Lilac said gently, leaning over to pet her Digimon's head. "But I'm afraid it won't be as easy as it sounds…"

"How do you mean?"

"It always happens in movies, books, and video games; when a character needs to overcome something, they usually have to go through some sort of a trial…"

"All right, Volcamon, there's your mark," Dracmon said from on top of a small cliff, pointing at Lilac.

"Her sin's envy, right?" Volcamon asked, and Dracmon nodded. "Well, she certainly looks easy to scare; this should be fun and easy!"

"Don't screw this up, Volcamon, and remember; her Digimon is quite powerful," Dracmon said.

"Don't worry, little buddy; I'll be careful!" Volcamon said, leaping from the small cliff with a yell, landing right in front of Lilac and Tapirmon. "Hello there, Lilac Wong!" Volcamon yelled.

"W…Who are you?" Lilac asked nervously.

"I'm Volcamon, and I've got something to tell you! Your envy…you should just give up on trying to overcome it, you hear?!"

"What are you talking about? Sanzomon told Lilac and her friends it's necessary to overcome their sins!" Tapirmon said angrily. "And just who do you think you are, telling my partner what to do?!"

"Look, I didn't say it wasn't noble or anything of her to try and overcome her sin, I was just saying I don't think it's possible for her to do so!" Volcamon shouted, and then turned to face Lilac, who was beginning to tremble in fear at the sight of the tall Digimon. "The reason you are so jealous…it is because you are so meek and timid! You're quiet and shy, always afraid to speak your mind!"

"Shut up! You don't know the first thing about my partner!"

"I know her better than she knows herself, Tapirmon! All of her friends, including you, are always talking, never afraid to speak their thoughts!" Volcamon continued shouting, and then turned to Lilac again. "You thought surrounding yourself with talkative friends would make it easier for you to talk, but it only started brewing the jealousy deep in your heart! You love all of your friends with all of your sweet little heart, but you can't help but resent them for the fact that they aren't afraid to speak; isn't that right?!"

"I…I don't…know…maybe?" Lilac asked.

"Maybe?! MAYBE?! What about definitely?! If you want my help, don't give me these half-assed answers like MAYBE!"

"Volcamon, calm down!" Tapirmon said, hovering between him and Lilac. "You say you're trying to help, but you're scaring her half to death! Look at what you're doing to her!" Tapirmon said, and Volcamon looked at Lilac, who had fallen to the ground in fear, her face wet with tears.

"Oh, I'm sorry; I guess I didn't make myself MORE CLEAR!" Volcamon smacked Tapirmon out of the way, making her crash into a nearby ledge. "I'm only talking to the girl; don't get in my way!"

"Tapirmon…Tapirmon, please, be ok…" Lilac said, struggling to stand as she walked over to her Digimon, but before she could make it, Volcamon forcefully grabbed her arm.

"And just where do you think you're going?!"

"Volcamon, please…what…do you want from me?" Lilac sobbed.

"I want to hear you say you'll give all of this up! This world isn't for someone with a weak stomach like you; it's only for the strong and the brave, like your friends! Go back to your human world to mommy and daddy!"

"No, I…I can't…"

"What was that?!"

"I might…not be brave, like Tomoya or Emerilla…my stomach might be weaker than talc…but this world…it needs…my help…" Lilac's Digivice and Tapirmon both began to glow.

"Tapirmon Digivolve to, Unimon! Aerial Attack!" Unimon's attack hit Volcamon directly in the face, but he ignored it.

"That was pathetic! If you're going to travel through the Digital World, at least get yourself a powerful Digimon like me! Tackle Time!" Volcamon ran into Unimon, sending her crashing into the ledge once again, causing a small section of it to collapse. Volcamon then turned his attention to Lilac once more. "You should abandon that weak creature and travel with me if you plan on staying here any longer; I'll keep you safe!"

"No…you…you hurt my friend. I could never…join up with someone as cruel as you…I could never…"

"All right, that does it!" Volcamon said angrily. "My master is starting to get annoyed that none of our plans are working, so I'll just have to kill you instead of screwing with your thoughts!" Volcamon reached out and grabbed Lilac by the neck, picking her up. "Don't blame me for your fate, it is your own doing; it seems as though your heart is too pure to try and trick, so I'll just have to-"

"Aerial Attack!" Unimon's attack hit Volcamon on the back, but again, he didn't notice.

"I have had enough of you!" Volcamon said, dropping Lilac, and then turned around to pick up a large rock which he through at Unimon, who fortunately flew out of the way just in time. "Ah, forget it!" Volcamon muttered, and then turned back to Lilac, proceeding to choke her once again.

"Hm, this seems a tad excessive to get rid of one of those damn kids, but at least it's working," Dracmon said, observing Volcamon's every move. "Still, it seems kind of wasteful; that Lilac is really pretty. Such a shame that she must die…"

"Aerial Gallop!" Unimon flew into Volcamon, thrusting her horn up his ass, making him scream in pain, causing him to drop Lilac again. "Lilac, are you ok?"

"Yes…I'm ok…"

_I've never seen her look so afraid before! I'll have to give it my all to protect her!_ "Aerial Attack!" Unimon attacked again, hitting Volcamon in the stomach, but he didn't seem to notice.

"This should be enough to finish you off!" Volcamon said, jumping up above Unimon, punching her on the head, making her fall to the ground. Volcamon then landed on the ground right next to her. "Still breathing, eh? Well, I know how I can fix that!"

"Unimon…no, please don't die! Isn't there…anything I can do?" Lilac said, crying. Just then, her key fell from her dress pocket and onto the ground next to her hand. "Of course…with this, I can…hold on, Unimon!" Lilac said, picking up the key and aiming it at Unimon as she had seen Tomoya done a while ago. A thin beam of light shot out of the key at Unimon, causing the Mythical Animal to become enveloped in light.

"Unimon Digivolve to, Mammothmon!" Mammothmon stood tall, towering over Volcamon, who took a step back at the sight of the enormous beast.

"Wow, she's big!" Volcamon said nervously, but then shook his head to compose himself. "Well, so what if you're big? I'm still stronger than you! Magma Base!" Volcamon screamed into his microphone, emitting a high-pitch noise, but Mammothmon seemed unaffected. "All right, it's Tackle Time!" Volcamon started running towards Mammothmon, but Mammothmon smacked him with her trunk, sending him flying into the air.

"Tusk Crusher!" Mammothmon launched two projectiles from her tusks at the soaring Volcamon, causing an explosion that instantly killed him, turning him into data that Mammothmon absorbed before turning back into Tapirmon.

"Tapirmon, I…I'm so sorry…" Lilac said, hugging her Digimon and crying.

"Why should you be sorry? I was the one who almost failed to protect you," Tapirmon said, completely confused.

"If I had just…remembered to use that key earlier…you wouldn't have gotten as injured as you did…"

"Don't worry about that, Lilac; we're both fine now, and that's what's important," Tapirmon said, hugging Lilac back.

"Tapirmon, please just know that…I could never hate…or resent you…in any way for being able to talk so much easier than me…you and the others…"

"I know, Lilac; you're too sweet to hate another living thing. That's why I love you so much…"

"Tapirmon…I love you too…"

"Lilac! Hey, is that you?!"

"I think that's Nate calling," Tapirmon said, and Lilac quickly wiped her face dry from the tears to the others wouldn't notice.

"Lilac, are you ok?" Nate asked.

"Yes…I'm fine…"

"That's good; we were all worried about you when you decided to go by yourself," Theo said.

"Yeah, we wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you," Dalton said.

"Thank you…for worrying about me…"

"But you don't need to worry about her; I'll be there protecting her forever!" Tapirmon said happily. Suddenly, both Nate's and Dalton's Digivices began to make ringing sounds, indicating there was another Digivice nearby.

"It's coming from over here!" Nate said, holding his Digivice to the west as the ringing got louder.

"Mine says there's another one in this direction," Dalton said, doing the same as Nate, except he was holding his Digivice to the east.

"I guess we'll have to split up then," Nate said. "To make sure we don't get lost this time, let's meet up at the base of that mountain over there."

"Sounds good; see you guys later," Dalton said, walking east with Theo as Nate and Lilac walked east.

* * *

A/N: Wow, it seems that taking some time off to play Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones was just what I needed to think of ideas! Sorry for the wait!


	28. To Eat or Not to Eat

"This is really starting to get annoying," Salamon muttered. "We've been walking for five days, but we have yet to see any Digimon to fight!"

"Relax, Salamon; we need to save our strength for walking and finding the others," Mia said calmly, and then suddenly stopped walking. "Salamon, do you smell that?"

"Yeah…what is it?"

"It smells kind of like…cheeseburgers," Mia said thoughtfully, and suddenly, her stomach growled. "Wait a minute; I thought Tomoya told us we wouldn't be getting hungry in the Digital World!"

"To be more specific, he said you only eat when you feel like it, and from what I just heard, you feel like it," Salamon said. "If you must eat, try and make it fast, ok?"

"I'll try, but I'm pretty hungry!" Mia said, running toward the source of the smell.

"Welcome, travelers! Would you like something to eat?" a small Digimon asked.

"Oh, I should've guessed from the smell that the Burgermon would be involved," Salamon said as more Burgermon joined the Burgermon that spoke.

"Yep; we make the best food in the entire Digital World!" Burgermon said happily. "And it just so happens that we're having an all you can eat special for only $6.99!"

"Hey, we don't use money in the Digital World!" Salamon barked.

"Perhaps, but we can see that this lovely young lady is from the human world, so we'll gladly accept some human money!"

"Oh…I didn't really bring any money with me…" Mia said nervously.

"Oh…you didn't? Well, that's too bad…" Burgermon said sadly.

"Please, please let me eat! My stomach's been growling so loud since I smelled your burgers, I can't hear myself think!" Mia pleaded.

"Sorry, human; no money, no food!" the Burgermon all said at once. "Now, if your Digimon wanted something, that would be different, but…"

"Hey now, don't you think that's a little harsh?" a Digimon from behind Mia and Salamon asked.

"And just who are you?" Salamon asked.

"My name is Dracmon, and I enjoy helping those in need," Dracmon said, obviously lying. "Burgermon, don't you think it's cruel not to give this young lady some food when she's obviously hungry?"

"But…she doesn't have any human money!" Burgermon said.

"So what if she doesn't? We Digimon have no need for money."

"Forget it, shorty; if you're a human, you have to pay for our food!"

"Eye of Nightmare!" Dracmon flashed the eyes on his palms at the Burgermon as they began to glow, making the eyes of the Burgermon glow.

"Uh…I can't remember. What were we just talking about?" Burgermon asked.

"Why, you were just about to give this kind young lady all the burgers she could possibly eat! Don't you remember?" Dracmon asked.

"Uh…oh, yeah! Thanks for reminding me! Ok, Burgermon, bring out the burgers!" one of the Burgermon shouted, and all ten of the Burgermon brought out giant plates filled with hamburgers to a nearby table.

"Oh, Dracmon, thank you so much; how could I ever repay you?" Mia asked.

"Well, if it's not too big of a deal, I am a bit hungry myself," Dracmon admitted.

"Sure, help yourself; as hungry as I am, I don't think I'd be able to eat all of those. Do you want any, Salamon?"

"…Just one. But remember, Mia; we don't have much time. Eat fast, ok?" Salamon asked.

"Yeah, don't worry. Here you go!" Mia said, handing a burger to Salamon as she and Dracmon took a big bite out of one.

_I've got to admit, these Burgermon know how to cook. I'll see if I can't convince my uncle to spare them when he takes over the Digital World,_ Dracmon thought. "How do you like it, Mia?"

"This is delicious; I haven't eaten anything this good in my entire life!" Mia said happily.

_Just a few more bites, and…Eye of Nightmare!_ Without Mia's notices, the eyes on Dracmon's palms began to glow as soon as she had finished eating her burger.

"Mia, can we go now?" Salamon asked.

"…This is weird; I just ate a huge burger, and for some reason, my stomach seems emptier than before," Mia said.

"Oh, come on!"

"Please, I just need a few more!"

"We need to find the others!" Salamon snapped.

"I won't be able to find them if I pass out from hunger!" Mia said, grabbing another burger.

"Mia, there's something weird about all of this; we're leaving right-" before Salamon could finish her sentence, a black dog-like Digimon seemingly fell from the sky and landed on top of Salamon. "Ugh…Cerberumon…"

"Those who take to the point of waste…will have to answer to the Watchdog of Hell!" Cerberumon said.

"I only had one…you should be mad at my partner…" Salamon struggled to say while underneath the Ultimate.

"Don't talk back to me! Emerald Blaze!"

"Salamon Digivolve to, Darcmon! Shine Barrier!" raising her staff, Darcmon protected herself with a barrier of light that protected her from Cerberumon's green flames. "Mia, what are you doing? Help me!"

"I'd like to, but…I'm getting hungrier and hungrier with each bite I take," Mia said, and as if to verify this, her stomach growled so immensely loud that Darcmon, Dracmon, Cerberumon, and the Burgermon had to cover their ears.

"Then stop eating!"

"I…can't…"

_Hahaha! Little does that idiot realize that, no matter how many bites she thanks she takes and swallows, she is simply biting thin air! And, of course, I had to help a bit with her stomach's growling and excessive hunger. Oh, I'm such a genius! This might not be the gluttony dear Mia is normally accustomed to, but it's good enough to get her to stop paying attention to her little friend! _ Dracmon thought as he continued to eat his burger. _Holy shit, this burger is so good!_

"Dancing Sword!"

"Styx Killer!" as Darcmon swung her sword, Cerberumon countered with his sharp claws. "Emerald Blaze!"

"Shine Barrier!" Darcmon protected herself once again from Cerberumon's attack, but this time, Cerberumon ran toward her while attacking. _That fool! Now he's close enough for me to attack!_ "Dancing Sword!" Darcmon swung her sword, but Cerberumon jumped above her and fell onto her back, making her fall down as she became pinned to the ground. Darcmon yelled in pain as Cerberumon's sharp claws dug into the backs of her bare shoulders and thighs. "Mia…help me!" Darcmon called out, but Mia failed to hear her as she was busy thinking she was eating. "MIA!"

"Mia, your friend is in trouble," a gentle sounding voice said from behind Mia, and when she turned around, she saw the hologram of Sanzomon.

"Sanzomon?! Is that you?!"

"Mia, you are under the control of an evil Digimon who's making you think you're hungry," Sanzomon said.

"Making me think I'm hungry? What are you talking about? I'm starving!" Mia said, still eating a hamburger (or thinking she was.)

"You're not really hungry, my dear; you just think you are."

"Well, I hope you're right, 'cuz-"

"Come here, sweetie," Sanzomon said gently.

"You…you're not mad at me for being an even bigger glutton than normal?" Mia asked nervously.

"I could never get mad at the Digidestined who have sworn their service to the Digital World," Sanzomon said. "Hold still, now," she said as she placed her right hand over Mia's stomach, causing her to jump back. "What's wrong? I'm not going to hurt you."

"Sorry, just…a little ticklish there," Mia said, allowing Sanzomon to walk up to her, once again placing her hand over Mia's stomach, causing both to glow.

"Feel better now?"

"I'm not hungry anymore! Thank you, Miss Sanzomon!"

"Just remember to never become victim of your sin again, Mia," Sanzomon said before disappearing.

"Darcmon, are you ok?" Mia asked.

"It's about time! You finally full yet?" Darcmon asked as Cerberumon dug his sharp claws deeper into Darcmon's soft skin, making her scream in pain.

"You can do it, Darcmon! I know you can! Just push on the ground as hard as you can!" Mia said, and Darcmon did as she was told, and to her amazement as well as Cerberumon's, she was able to lift herself up.

"Trying to move, eh? Emerald Blaze!"

"Shine Barrier!" Darcmon raised her staff and protected herself from Cerberumon's attack. "Dancing Sword!" Darcmon flew through the flames with her barrier up, and when she was close enough, she stabbed Cerberumon in between his eyes, instantly killing him, turning him into data which Darcmon absorbed before turning back into Salamon. "Where'd that Dracmon go?"

"I don't know, he was here a few minutes ago," Mia asked. "Salamon, I'm sorry I ignored you during that fight just now; an evil Digimon made me think I was hungry, but I actually wasn't."

"Don't worry about it, Mia," Salamon said with a sight. "But we really do need to get going if we ever want to find our friends."

"Hey! Mia, is that you?!" Nate yelled, running up the path Mia had walked a few minutes ago alongside Lilac, Agumon, and Tapirmon.

"Nate! Lilac! I'm so glad you're here!" Mia said happily.

"Lilac and I just split up with Theo and Dalton because we found Digivices in two directions," Nate said.

"Lilac, are you ok? You look so sad…sadder than normal," Mia said concernedly.

"I'm fine, I just…had a run-in with a scary Digimon called Volcamon…he yelled at me and Tapirmon, and tried to kill us both because I'm jealous of all of you," Lilac said sadly.

"You're jealous of all of us? How come?" Nate asked.

"It's because all of you, and even me, find it so easy to talk, and it's very difficult for her to, so…she just got a little jealous of all of you," Tapirmon said.

"Oh, Lilac…there's no need to be jealous of us," Mia said calmly.

"Yeah, who knows what kind of person you'd be like if you were loud! You might even turn out like Emerilla, and this world needs only one of her," Agumon said.

"It's your quietness and gentleness that we all like about you, so please don't wish you were like somebody else, because then you wouldn't be like you at all," Nate said.

"We understand that you're a very shy person, Lilac, and we all respect that, so you don't need to be like anyone else. Please, don't ever change that about yourself," Salamon said. "Though, it probably wouldn't hurt if you smiled a little more."

"Guys…thank you, everyone…for making me feel better…" Lilac said with one of her rare smiles.

"Ah, now the Digital World has finally been blessed with your lovely smile," Nate said, causing Lilac to blush and hide her face against Tapirmon's back. Just then, Sanzomon's hologram reappeared in front of the Digidestined.

"Sanzomon, why are you appearing to us as a hologram instead of in person?" Nate asked.

"You're a hologram? But…we were able to make contact," Mia said in confusion.

"I am a hologram, but at the same time, I am not, but I definitely not the real Sanzomon; more like her spirit. The real Sanzomon sends me instead of going herself because I am able to teleport myself wherever I want. But, anyway, I am here to deliver these to the young ladies," Sanzomon said, handing an indigo colored lock to Lilac and a violet one to Mia. "These locks symbolize the fact that you have overcome your sins of envy and gluttony, as you locked them away from your hearts and souls."

"So, do these locks do anything else special?" Nate said, holding up his lock. "Theo said he tried putting his key in his, and it fit perfectly, but he wasn't able to turn it, and nothing happened."

"These locks will serve an important function soon, but I cannot tell you what they will do, or when they will be of use to you. Please, forgive me," Sanzomon's 'spirit' said before disappearing.

"Well, I trust you, Sanzomon," Nate said, placing his lock back in his pocket. "So, Mia, you overcame your sin?"

"Yeah, it was pretty weird; first of all, some evil Digimon made me think I was really hungry, so I ate a lot of burgers, which were really good, but Darcmon was fighting a Digimon called Cerberumon, and I was so hungry and focused on eating that I wasn't paying attention, which was when Sanzomon's spirit thingy showed up and placed her hand on my tummy, which is really ticklish, and suddenly, I wasn't hungry anymore, and she convinced me to stop being a glutton and help out my friend!"

"Wow…that's pretty amazing," Lilac said.

"Yeah…I had no idea you were ticklish, Mia; now I have another way to piss you off!" Nate said, poking Mia's stomach, making her laugh and smack his hand away. "Well, as you know, my sin was lust, and there was this really pretty LadyDevimon that I-"

"Got it; say no more," Mia said, not wanting to hear the rest of Nate's sentence.

"Now can we finally continue?" Salamon asked.

"Yeah, of course; I told Dalton and Theo that we'd meet them in front of that mountain over there," Nate said, pointing to a tall mountain. "Oh, look, a Kuwagamon!"

"Well, come on, let's go!" Mia said, and as soon as she took one step, her belly began to rumble with hunger. "Uh…do you think we could take a little snack break first?"

"Oh, come on!" Salamon complained.


	29. Mercurymon the Seer

A/N: Sorry for a rather short chapter this time…

* * *

"Here we are, Tomoya," Kuwagamon said, landing on a mountain's ledge that was next to a cave. "Mercurymon is inside this cave. Would you like me to wait out here for you?"

"If it isn't a problem, I'd really appreciate it," Tomoya said. "If you really need to go, I'll just blow the whistle again."

"All right; I hope you find the answers you seek, my friends," Kuwagamon said as Tomoya and Candlemon entered the cave.

"Wow, I'm sure glad we've got your flame to light things up in here," Tomoya said.

"Me too; I'm afraid of the dark," Candlemon admitted.

"How would you know? You've never been in the dark before," Tomoya said with a laugh.

"That's a good point," Candlemon said, joining his partner in laughing. "Is it just me, or do we seem to be going down the mountain?"

"It would make sense; there's less oxygen the higher up you go, so I guess Mercurymon didn't want to get sick or anything while up here," Tomoya said. After about five more minutes of walking, they reached a door. "I guess this is it."

"Tomoya, before we go in there, I have a question," Candlemon said nervously.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Well, when we met up with Theo earlier today, how come you didn't ask him how Nate acted while you were gone?"

"I don't know…I guess I thought I'd rather hear it from Mercurymon than someone who could lie," Tomoya said, opening the door, allowing him and Candlemon to enter a large, circular room with many lit torches to keep it light.

"Who art thou?" a green Digimon in the middle of the room asked.

"Oh, great, this guy talks like Hawkmon…" Tomoya muttered. "My name is Tomoya Matsuki, and this is my Digimon partner, Candlemon. Are you Mercurymon?"

"That I am. Thou hast cometh here for answers, did thee not?" Mercurymon asked.

"Yes…it has to do with a friend. A friend that…I don't know what to think about at the moment. His name is-"

"His name be Nathan Sugimori, and thou thinks he be glad that you hast disappeared, correct?" Mercurymon asked.

"Yeah, how did you-"

"I be called Mercurymon the Seer for a reason, thou knoweth. Come; look into my mirrors. Thou will find the answers thy seek." Tomoya hesitated.

"Don't worry, Tomoya; he won't hurt you. He's a neutral Digimon, and even I've heard of him, remember? You didn't just hear about him from Cherrymon; Mercurymon is the real deal," Candlemon said. Tomoya relented and walked over to Mercurymon, and suddenly, the lit torches went out so Tomoya could see easier, and what he saw shocked him. He saw the entire group rejoicing at the fact that he was gone, except for Dalton, who was fast asleep. And it was none other than Nate who had taken the lead of the group, leading everyone out of the forest and to safety.

"I…I can't believe this…" Tomoya said, falling to his knees.

"Cherrymon was telling the truth?" Candlemon asked in disbelief as he also watched what was happening on Mercurymon's mirror shield.

"I know not what it means, but it seems thou hast gotten the answer thou hast sought," Mercurymon said.

"There…has to be some mistake!" Tomoya shouted.

"I understand that, from time to time, the truth can be hard to accept, but the truth is the only thing these mirrors will display," Mercurymon said calmly.

"Nate…we were supposed to be best friends! What happened?! Is it…is this all my fault? Mercurymon, can you show me what happened to make Nate the way he is now?"

"I apologize, Tomoya Matsuki, but these mirrors do not take requests; they only show the one most important truth to whoever gazes upon them."

"Nate…do you…does everyone in that group of idiots hate me?! Have I been without friends the entire time we've been in the Digital World?!"

"Tomoya!" Candlemon shouted. "That mirror may be displaying the truth, but you haven't been without a friend this whole time; have you forgotten about me so soon?!"

"Candlemon…I'm sorry…I just don't know what to say about all of this right now…"

"I apologize for sounding rude, but thou must leave this place," Mercurymon said. "But, before thou leaves, take this rock," Mercurymon said, handing Tomoya a small rock.

"What does it do?" Candlemon asked.

"It displays whatever images thou saw in my mirrors to whomever holds it. Now, please; leave."

"Ok…thank you for your time, Mercurymon," Tomoya said, leaving the room with Candlemon.

"How long hath thou been here?" Mercurymon asked as soon as Tomoya closed the door and the torches relit themselves.

"I'm surprised you don't already know, Mercurymon the Seer."

"Come out so I can see you, you jackanapes!" Mercurymon snapped.

"Very well…here I am!"

"You…Arkadimon?!"

"You've heard of me? I'm flattered," Arkadimon said.

"You tricked that lad just now, didst thou not?"

"Wow, you really deserve your title of 'The Mystic Seer,' dontcha? You're right; I controlled what your mirror displayed to that kid as all part of my plan, and that will, of course, affect the rock you so kindly gave him."

"Why didst thou do it?"

"You don't need to know that, Mercurymon. But, clearly, you knew I was manipulating your mirror when that kid walked in. Why didn't you tell him?"

"…I am but a neutral Digimon; I help out neither the Digidestined nor the evil Digimon who wish to destroy the Digital World; that be all."

"Really? Well, thank you, Mercurymon; by staying neutral, you really helped out us bad guys!" Mercurymon gasped. "Yep; looks like you actually did something not neutral for once in your life, Mercurymon; you ought to be so proud of yourself, chum!" Arkadimon laughed evilly while opening up his dark portal, which he went through, taking him out of Mercurymon's home, leaving Mercurymon alone to dwell on what Arkadimon had just told him.

* * *

"Tomoya, did you get everything you need?" Kuwagamon asked as soon as he saw Tomoya and Candlemon.

"Yeah…we got the answers, and they're just as Cherrymon told us," Candlemon said.

"The only problem is…now, I don't know where to go, or what I want to do," Tomoya said rather angrily.

"I see…well, take your time deciding; I have nowhere else to be, so I'll be right here for when you want to leave," Kuwagamon said.


	30. The Revived Demon

A/N: Another long chapter here. Hope you like the long ones, because I'm sure more will come!

* * *

"Wow, look at the size of that palace!" Theo said in amazement, looking up at a large, white palace.

"It's so shiny, too…almost as if it were made of ice," Dalton said. Suddenly, the doors swung open and Lunamon came tumbling down the stairs.

"Lunamon, are you ok?" Betamon asked.

"Betamon? Oh, Dalton, Theo, and Hawkmon are all here too!" Lunamon said happily, completely unfazed by the fact that she had fallen down about thirty stairs.

"Are you ok? Where's Emerilla?" Theo asked.

"I'm fine, I'm fine; I got used to falling like that a while ago. Emerilla's inside, would you like to come in?"

"Uh, sure…" Theo said.

"All right, follow me!" Lunamon said, hopping up the stairs, followed by Dalton, Theo, and their Digimon.

"Is this palace made of ice?" Hawkmon asked.

"Why, yes it is; isn't it pretty?"

"Yes, I suppose…

"Dalton, something's wrong; these stairs are also made of ice, but they aren't slippery in the slightest. I don't think Lunamon fell," Theo whispered.

"I was thinking the same thing…take a look at the back of Lunamon's head," Dalton whispered back, and Theo gasped when he saw a large, dark bruise. Upon closer inspection, he saw there were smaller, lighter bruises, as well as multiple scratches.

"How awful! Who could do such a thing to such a sweet, innocent, Digimon?" Theo whispered angrily.

"Obviously, someone who lives off of the pain and suffering he inflicts onto others," Dalton whispered back.

"Ok, everyone; we're here!" Lunamon said, smiling happily. "Be careful, though; my master has quite a temper, so try not to insult him." Lunamon opened the doors.

"What took you so long, idiot?!" a voice said.

"Oh, sorry, sir, I was just talking to the guests, and-"

"No excuses! Just be faster next time, got it?!...So, who was it?"

"Two friends of Emerilla, actually," Lunamon said happily. "Their names are Dalton and Theo, and they have Digimon partners called Hawkmon and Betamon."

"…Bring them in here."

"Yes sir!" Lunamon said, walking into the room the voice came from after motioning the others to follow her. Dalton and Theo were completely amazed that even the inside of the building was ice, too, and none of it seemed to be melting, despite being rather warm outside. "Here they are, master!" Dalton's, Theo's, Hawkmon's, and Betamon's hearts all sank when they saw the Digimon that was sitting on the only couch in the room: IceDevimon!

"So, you two are friends of Emerilla's, correct?" IceDevimon asked with interest. "So, that would make you both Digidestined, right?" Dalton and Theo nodded quickly without saying a word. "No need to be scared; I won't hurt you!"

_Right, you won't hurt us the same way you didn't hurt Lunamon!_ Theo thought, but didn't dare say it.

"So, I guess you're wondering where my wife is, correct?"

_Wife?! This violent bastard managed to get married?! To who?!_ Dalton thought to himself. "Yeah, sure."

"OI! SWEETHEART! GET YOUR SEXY LITTLE ASS IN HERE!" IceDevimon shouted, and after a few seconds, to everyone's surprise (except Lunamon and IceDevimon,) Emerilla came running into the room dressed in a pure-white dress.

"You called, IceDevimon?" Emerilla asked.

"You got some friends here to see you," IceDevimon said, pointing at the newly arrived Digidestined.

"Oh! Dalton and Theo! Hi!" Emerilla said, walking up to her friends.

"All right, just what the hell is going on here?!" Dalton asked.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm married to IceDevimon now," Emerilla said, making her four friends gasp in shock and horror.

"Well, I'll leave you all alone," IceDevimon said, leaving the room.

"Emerilla, what the hell is the matter with you? You're only sixteen; you can't be married!" Theo said.

"This is the Digital World, Theo; the laws of the human world have no effect on this one," Emerilla said.

"But of all the Digimon out there, why did it have to be IceDevimon?!" Betamon asked angrily.

"What are you talking about?! IceDevimon is just about the best Digimon there is; he's always telling me how beautiful and perfect I am day and night, he strokes my hair, he even holds the door open for me! He even gave me this beautiful dress! Doesn't it just look stunning in this pure white ice palace? Of course, it probably wouldn't look as good if it weren't wrapped around someone as beautiful as me! How could I not love him?"

"I'll tell you how he couldn't!" Dalton said angrily, picking up Lunamon, showing her bruise to Emerilla.

"Oh, Lunamon, how did you get that awful bruise?" Emerilla asked, taking Lunamon from Dalton.

"IceDevimon did that to her!" Betamon shouted.

"What? No, that's not possible; you probably just fell down those slippery ice stairs, poor baby," Emerilla said, cradling Lunamon in her arms.

"Ok, this is really freaking me out," Betamon said, not being used to seeing Emerilla's soft side.

"The stairs of this damn ice palace aren't slippery in the slightest!" Theo said.

"Also, how wouldst thou explain all those scratches over thy Digimon's body?" Hawkmon asked.

"Uh…"

"Everything in this palace is icy and smooth; there's no other way she could have gotten scratched than by IceDevimon's claws!" Betamon said.

"Guys, please," Lunamon said. "Don't make IceDevimon mad! Please!"

"I don't care how mad I make that bastard; he hurt you, Lunamon, and that's not something I could easily forgive!" Theo shouted.

"All right, ENOUGH!" Emerilla shouted. "Do you guys have any PROOF that IceDevimon hurt my sweet Lunamon?!"

"Well, not exactly, but it makes sense," Dalton said.

"Well, until you have some evidence, I'll thank you NOT to charge my husband with assault he did not commit!" Emerilla snapped.

"Ok, ok, whatever. Look, just come with us, we need to catch up with Nate and Lilac," Dalton said.

"What?! I'm not going with you! I'm staying right here!"

"Thou can't be serious!" Hawkmon gasped.

"All of you losers can go off and save the Digital World, but Lunamon and I aren't coming! We don't deserve the company of such…inferior people!"

"Thou must come with us! Like it or not, thou art Digidestined, just like Theo and Dalton!" Hawkmon said angrily.

"How dare you put me on the same level of such crass individuals?" Emerilla shrieked.

"I dare because I know it to be true! Thou will come with us!"

"Never!"

"Betamon, I think she needs a little wake-up shock," Dalton said, quickly taking Lunamon out of Emerilla's arms.

"Hey, give me back my precious Lunamon!"

"Electric Shock!" Betamon fired a weak electric shock from his fin at Emerilla.

"Don't you understand, Emerilla? Your sin was stated by Sanzomon to be that of pride; IceDevimon knows full well what he's doing!" Theo said.

"He's just building up that overly large ego of yours to titanic proportions, and you keep letting him!" Dalton said.

"Thou must realize what IceDevimon is up to! If thou art to overcome thy foolish pride, thou must look past his compliments, Emerilla! Deep down, IceDevimon is a vicious serial killer, taking delight in the harm he inflicts upon others!" Hawkmon said.

"Damn it, Emerilla, we're your friends!" Betamon said. "We're saying all of this to save you and the Digital World!"

"Please, Emerilla," Lunamon said. "Listen to your friends. They speak the truth." Emerilla didn't say anything as she ran out of the room.

"Go on, you just keep fighting for the right side, but we'll always be here to bring you back!" Betamon shouted.

"Kingdom Hearts is an awesome series," Dalton said.

"Totally," Betamon, Hawkmon, Lunamon and Theo said in agreement.

* * *

"IceDevimon!" Emerilla called when she found him sitting at the dining room table.

"What's wrong, my little beauty?" IceDevimon asked.

"It…it's not true…is it?" Emerilla asked, out of breath.

"What's not true, my dear?"

"Did you hurt my sweet little Lunamon?!"

"Yes, I did."

"How could you have done that without telling me? Besides, what did she ever do to you?"

"She annoyed me. And I did tell you several times, but you were too distracted to realize what I had said."

"Lunamon's the kindest Digimon in the entire Digital World; she wouldn't hurt a fly unless it harmed one of her friends! And you actually had it in you to hurt her?! You evil bastard!"

"Well, I suppose the real reason I decided to hurt was…because it's fun to hurt others. Don't you agree? Oh, how I loved the feeling of that nitwit's blood running down my fingers as I cut her ever so slowly to prolong her misery! Oh, just thinking about it makes me tingly! Oh, boy did that blood taste delightful; you know, blood taken from scared living things that are in pain always tastes the best! The entire experience was so beautiful, that just thinking about it could make me burst with happiness!" IceDevimon began to laugh, but stopped when he heard Emerilla vomit after falling to her hands and knees.

"Lunamon…I'm so sorry…how could I have let this happen to you?!" Emerilla began to cry, and then proceeded to vomit again, being completely nauseated from hearing IceDevimon's descriptions.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, I probably shouldn't have mentioned all of that bloody stuff after you had just eaten," IceDevimon said calmly, leaning down to rub Emerilla's back.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME, YOU FROZEN FREAK!" Emerilla shouted, standing up to leave the room, but IceDevimon grabbed her arm.

"Ah, you have no idea how exquisitely beautiful you look when you're angry, do you? Just like your mother," IceDevimon said, looking Emerilla straight in the eye.

"My…mother? You knew her?" Emerilla asked weakly.

"Oh, yes; you look almost as beautiful as she was, but you're beauty is more…complete, more elegant. Oh, I just can't control myself; I must see more of you! Frozen Claw!" IceDevimon swung his claw, ripping up Emerilla's dress. "Your body…I just wanted to see it pure and unscathed before I made it that way!" Emerilla tried to get up again, but her legs were too unsteady to do it quickly. "Now, now, don't try to run away, sweetie; Tundra Freeze!" IceDevimon unleashed a freezing beam from his eyes at Emerilla's bare feet, preventing her from moving. "Absolutely gorgeous…let's see if a few bloody scars can't make it more so! Frozen-"

"Thunderstorm!" Thunderbirdmon came seemingly from nowhere and flapped his massive wings, creating a powerful wind that prevented IceDevimon from getting any closer to Emerilla. Seadramon then came and loosely wrapped himself around Emerilla so Dalton and Theo would not see her partially nude body.

"Emerilla, are you ok?" Lunamon asked.

"Oh, Lunamon…I'm so sorry I didn't know he did any of those horrible things to you!" Emerilla cried. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, I did, but you weren't paying attention, and I was too afraid to bring it up again," Lunamon said quietly.

"Perhaps you'd like to hear the story of how she got that large bruise on the back of her head?" IceDevimon suggested.

"No, please…no more…" Emerilla moaned.

"I'm pretty sure she got that bruise from repeated collision with the back of my knee every time I had to get her to go outside! You should've been there; it was hilarious seeing her fall down those thirty stairs over and over!"

"Oh, God…Lunamon…" Emerilla vomited again, this time all over Seadramon. "I'm sorry, Seadramon…"

"Don't worry, dear; I've had a lot worse happen to me than you puking on me," Seadramon said.

"To be honest, I'm close to doing the same," Thunderbirdmon said. "Not on thou, Seadramon, just in general."

"Emerilla, where are your other clothes?" Dalton asked, looking as far away as possible from the partially naked girl.

"Upstairs…"

"All right; Seadramon, you, Theo, and Lunamon, take her upstairs. I'll stay down here with Thunderbirdmon and hold him off!" Dalton said.

"But, Dalton, Thunderbirdmon's my Digimon; wouldn't it make more sense if I stayed and you went up with your Digimon?" Theo asked.

"Come on, Theo; everyone in the group knows you and Lilac are the only ones Emerilla doesn't make fun of. Just go; I'll be fine!"

"You're the boss!" Seadramon said, taking flight while still wrapped around Emerilla, followed closely by Theo carrying Lunamon.

"…Tell me, brave human, do you know a human known as Takato?" IceDevimon asked.

"What's it to you?" Dalton snapped.

"Please, I'm just helping you stall time until your friends get back; I'd think you'd be a little more appreciative, but I guess not…"

"Takato is my uncle, and he's partnered with a Guilmon!"

"Ah, yes, Guilmon; that was the Digimon that killed me and loaded my data."

"WHAT?!" Dalton and Thunderbirdmon shouted at the same time.

"I can understand your surprise; any Digimon that has its data loaded would be killed under normal circumstances, except for a Sovereign, I suppose. But me…I'm different from other Digimon. Care to guess how?"

"You're a sadistic mass murderer?" Dalton guessed.

"Thou derives pleasure from the pain thy inflicts upon others?" Thunderbirdmon guessed.

"Actually, you're both right. Since I get pleasure from harming others, I decided to become a serial killer, and, since I am a serial killer, I have loaded the data of hundreds of thousands of innocent screaming Digimon! I had so much data that, even though the stupid red lizard absorbed mine, I was blessed by Fanglongmon, the God and protector of the Digital World, and given a second chance at life! A second chance to inflict pain on others! Although, for some reason, I seem to be hornier than I was last time, but, whatever…"

"Thou must be joking!" Thunderbirdmon snapped. "A kind, benevolent god like Fanglongmon would never let someone like thee another life with which to harm others!"

"Oh, but he did, and I'll start honoring his wishes by harming the two of you; Frozen Claw!"

"Spark Wing!" Thunderbirdmon's attack hit IceDevimon head-on, but it didn't even slow him down as he raked his claws across Thunderbirdmon's chest, causing four scars to appear, with blood pouring out of each.

"Now, it's your time, nephew of Takato! Frozen Claw!"

"No!" before IceDevimon's attack could hit Dalton, Thunderbirdmon jumped in front of him, taking the attack to his metal-armored face. However, the force of the attack was more than enough to knock him over, causing him to turn back into Hawkmon.

"Hawkmon, are you ok?" Dalton called.

"I be fine…" Hawkmon said.

"Time for you to die; Avalanche-"

"Ice Blast!" Seadramon came flying down the stairs at top speed as he unleashed his attack, making IceDevimon stop his.

"How are you guys holding up?" Emerilla said, running down the icy stairs, dressed in her normal black mini-skirt and black belly shirt.

"Hawkmon!" Theo exclaimed as he saw his exhausted Digimon. "Dalton, why didn't you leave me down here with Thunderbirdmon?!"

"You're better at talking to sad girls than I am, and I didn't want Seadramon to stay down here because his ice attacks wouldn't have done anything!"

"Hey!" Seadramon protested.

"Well, we are fighting a Digimon that's made of ice; it only makes sense that your attack wouldn't have hurt!"

"All right, I'll handle him!" Emerilla said as her Digivice began to glow.

"Lunamon Digivolve to, Lekismon!"

"Lekismon, are you sure you're able to fight?" Seadramon asked.

"It doesn't matter; I'm the only one who can hurt him right now, and right now, I'm prepared to make this bastard suffer what I went through! Moon Night Bomb!"

"Tundra Freeze!" IceDevimon shot a freezing beam from his eyes, freezing Lekismon's attack and making it fly back toward her, hitting the ground right in front of her, causing it to shatter into thousands of sharp little pieces of ice, all of which struck her, reopening many wounds IceDevimon had inflicted while opening some new ones. The pain caused Lekismon to fall to one knee. "Frozen Claw!"

"Moon Night Kick!" before IceDevimon could attack, Lekismon kicked his arm away, then jumped and kicked him in the face, making him take a few steps back.

"Heh…this mission's proving to be more fun than I could ever imagine," IceDevimon said when he noticed the blood that was pouring out his nose. "When that little brat, Dracmon, told me to keep that stuck-up little girl arrogant, I thought this would be boring as hell…that is, until I realized who exactly she was," he said as he licked up the blood coming from his nose. "Ah…delicious. It would taste better if I was scared, though, but unfortunately, that's not going to happen anytime soon!"

"So, this guy works for Dracmon, just like Mermaimon," Theo said.

"So you know my boss, eh? Bad kid, but a little too forceful considering he's not that far along in life. Ah, and Mermaimon…she had a body and a face that was truly a feast for the eyes. Tell me…when you killed her, did she bleed much? Blood from beautiful women tastes so much better than that from scared Digimon."

"I've had just about as much of this guy as I can stomach. Seadramon, help me out, ok?" Lekismon asked.

"Sure thing; whenever you're ready," Seadramon said.

"Tear Arrow!"

"Ice Blast!" Lekismon fired an arrow from her back, which Seadramon attacked with his own, causing the arrow to increase in size while growing sharper.

"Avalanche Claw!" IceDevimon flapped his wings, causing numerous icicles to be fired at the ground around Seadramon and Lekismon, but none of them hit them or their attack, which instead struck IceDevimon in the middle of his chest, making a small hole appear. "No…not again! Not yet! I don't have enough data for me to come back!"

"Moon Night Kick!" Lekismon jumped and kicked IceDevimon in the chest where the previous attack had landed, managing to kick him clear through the chest, instantly killing him, turning him into data once more, which Lekismon didn't absorb as she turned back into Lunamon.

"You…didn't load his data?" Emerilla asked.

"I didn't want to have anything to do with that frozen freak, even if his data would have made me stronger," Lunamon said, jumping into Emerilla's arms as they began to leave the palace.

"I'm sorry I didn't pay attention to you…when you told me IceDevimon had…"

"Don't worry about it, Emerilla; I'm just glad all six of us are alive now," Lunamon said. "But if it's not too much trouble, do you think you could carry me? I'm rather exhausted…"

"Yes! Of course, I'll do anything to make it up to you!" Emerilla said, hugging her bleeding Digimon. Just then, the semi-transparent Sanzomon hologram appeared before the six of them. "Sanzomon? What are you doing here?"

"You have managed to overcome your pride, Emerilla," Sanzomon said. "For overcoming perhaps the most destructive and dangerous sin the soul can have, I present to you this lock," the hologram handed Emerilla a blue lock.

"Thank you, Sanzomon, but what does it do?" Emerilla asked.

"At the moment, nothing, but you will discover on your own how you must use them to save the Digital World."

"Before you leave, Sanzomon, I have a question," Hawkmon said. "I have visited thy new house countless times after we lost Tomoya in the forest, but thou, Wisemon, and Grademon have all left. Where art thou?"

"We all left to go back to my original home."

"Why didst thou leave us alone in the forest?"

"I cannot answer that. I'm sorry…" 'Sanzomon' said, disappearing.

"Hey, don't worry about it, Hawkmon," Theo said.

"Yeah, we need to join up with Nate and Lilac," Dalton said.

"Dalton! Theo!" Nate yelled, running toward the palace.

"Wow, found us already?" Betamon asked, walking down the stairs along with the others.

"Well, it looks as though Tomoya is the only one missing," Theo said, spotting Mia.

"Ok, now I'm really starting to get worried," Mia said. "It's been nearly three weeks since he disappeared; where could he be?" suddenly, the noise of insect-like buzzing filled the air as a rather large Kuwagamon landed on the ground near the six Digidestined as Tomoya and Candlemon jumped off his back.

"Hey, Tomoya!" Dalton said happily.

"Stay here, Kuwagamon; I may not want to stay long," Tomoya whispered.

"Ok, if that is what you wish," Kuwagamon said.

"Hey, we were all really worried about you, buddy!" Dalton said.

"What happened to you? Are you ok?" Mia asked.

"Well, he looks fine to me, and in the end, that's all that really matters," Nate said as Tomoya walked up to him. "So, what did happen to-" Nate was interrupted when Tomoya's fist made contact with his mouth, making him fall to the ground. "Dude, what the hell was that for?!" Nate said, but when he looked into his friend's eyes, he saw nothing but pure hatred and wrath.


	31. The Flames of Wrath

A/N: I am interested in playing the Digimon Digi-Battle card game, but I don't know anyone in real life who likes Digimon ;( so, I was wondering if somebody would be so kind as to point me in the direction of an online place to play the game, because it really interests me (I have, of course, found sites for Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! Online, and both work great, but I can't find any Digimon! PLEASE HELP ME!) Thank you! :D

* * *

"What the hell was that for?!" Nate asked, holding his bleeding mouth. When he looked into his friends eyes, he saw nothing but pure anger and hatred; so much that it scared him. "Tomoya…are you ok?"

"Get up." Nate got up slowly, with a confused look on his face as Tomoya aimed another punch at his nose. However, before he could make contact, Dalton grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Let go of me, Dalton."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Tomoya. You don't seem to be under the control of another Digimon, so I won't try to ask what's wrong, but I will ask you to stop!" Dalton said, twisting his younger cousin's arm behind his back.

"Is this about all of these arguments we've been having back when Phelesmon was alive?" Nate asked. "If it is, I really am sorry about what I said all those times; I shouldn't have made it sound like your Digimon was weaker than mine, because he isn't! I was just trying to-"

"YOU KNOW GOD DAMN WELL WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, NATHAN!" Tomoya screamed, trying to get closer, but Dalton used his free arm to grab Tomoya around the neck, restraining him.

"Look, I know I can be a total asshole sometimes, but you know I never mean any of it!"

"More often than sometimes," Emerilla muttered, still holding the injured Lunamon in her arms. "Look, revenge isn't something someone like you should be doing; you're more susceptible to rage than everyone here combined, so tell me what Nate did and I'd be more than happy to beat him up for you!"

"I know I did something to make you mad, so please, tell me what I did; I want to make it right so we can be friends again," Nate sadly.

"Tell me…does our friendship mean nothing to you?!" Tomoya growled.

"Of course not; you're my best friend Tomoya!"

"Admit it; when I got lost in that forest, you were all glad I was gone! You all hoped I had died!"

"Tomoya, what are you talking about? Even I don't hate you, an don't, then there's no reason for anyone else here to," Emerilla said.

"Candlemon, what's going on with Tomoya? Why aren't you trying to stop him?" Betamon asked coolly.

"Because I know he speaks the truth," Candlemon said bitterly. "Hawkmon, remember when we told you and Theo to go and get the others because we had somewhere to go?"

"How could I forget? Thou sounded just about ready to kill someone," Hawkmon said.

"We went to go see Mercurymon the Seer," Candlemon said, making the other six Digimon gasp.

"You mean that neutral fortuneteller who is incapable of lying?" Agumon asked.

"The very one. Tomoya and I looked into his mirrors…what we saw…even I cannot forgive any of you for the way you talked about my friend! I hate you all just as much as he does!" the flame on Candlemon's head began to increase in size.

"What did you see?" Mia asked nervously. Tomoya reached into his pocket and got out the rock Mercurymon had given him, handing it to Dalton, who looked at it, gasping. "What do you see?"

"Did you guys really do this?!" Dalton asked angrily, handing the rock to Mia, who looked at it with immense sadness. "And while I was asleep, too!"

"Tomoya, this isn't real!" Mia said, on the verge of tears. "We were so worried about you when you disappeared! We thought you had died!" after everyone else had seen the rock, it was finally given to Nate, who looked at it glumly.

"This is so obviously a fake," Nate said with a small laugh. "Everyone knows I'd make a terrible leader of this group because I don't have goggles like you!"

"But, if it was given to him by Mercurymon the Seer, then it can't exactly be a fake," Agumon said.

"Ok, you're not helping."

"And it's not like he could've gotten this rock somewhere else; only a rock given to someone by Mercurymon displays images like this one!"

"Shut up, Agumon!"

"Candlemon Digivolve to, Wizardmon! Electro Squall!" Wizardmon's attack hit the ground in front of Agumon. "Next time I won't miss, so hurry up and Digivolve to Tyrannomon!"

"You must be kidding! I don't want to fight you!"

"Would you prefer I load your data right now without a fight?!"

"Tomoya, call him off!" Theo asked.

"Please don't do this," Lilac whispered.

"Nate, make Agumon Digivolve, or Wizardmon will kill him right here and now!" Tomoya shouted.

"No!"

"Fine, have it your way; Wizardmon, now!"

"Electro Squall!"

"Agumon Digivolve to, Tyrannomon!" Wizardmon's attack hit Tyrannomon's chest, making him fall on his back.

"Electro Ball!"

"Slash Claw!" before Wizardmon's attack hit, Tyrannomon used his sharp claws to dig through the ground, avoiding Wizardmon's attack.

"Fight me, you coward!"

"I don't want to fight you, Wizardmon!" Tyrannomon said, emerging from the ground behind Wizardmon. "Friends shouldn't fight like this, unless they're on a boxing team, and that's a whole different thing!"

"Fine; it looks as though this is to be the hard way," Tomoya said, aiming his key at Wizardmon.

"Wizardmon Digivolve to, Mistymon!"

"Tyrannomon, I hate to say it, but I think we're going to have to fight," Nate said.

"You can't be serious!" Tyrannomon said, completely exasperated.

"You can't fight that Ultimate level by yourself!" Nate said, aiming his key at Tyrannomon.

"Tyrannomon Digivolve to, MetalTyrannomon!"

"I see you've finally come to your senses!" Mistymon said, swinging his sword at MetalTyrannomon, who caught it with both claws. MetalTyrannomon then smacked Mistymon's side with his tail, making him fall over.

"Nuclear Laser!" MetalTyrannomon fired an energy blast from his left hand into Mistymon's face, making him fly back and crash into a tree near Kuwagamon.

"Perhaps it isn't really my place, but I think we should leave now," Kuwagamon whispered.

"Don't worry; I've got this under control! Core Dart!"

"Giga Destroyer II!" from his right hand, MetalTyrannomon fired a missile at Mistymon's attack, causing an explosion that stopped both attack. "Mistymon, let's stop this before someone gets hurt!"

"This is battle, MetalTyrannomon; it's only natural that us warriors should get injured in the process!"

"I was referring to them!" MetalTyrannomon said, pointing to the Digidestined and other Digimon. "This isn't there fight, so it's not fair if one of them gets hurt, is it?"

"If they get hurt, then it's their fault for being so careless! Core Dart!"

"Nuclear Missile!" both attacks collided, causing another explosion.

"Damn it, my attacks just aren't strong enough!" Mistymon said. "I need more power…more data!" Mistymon glanced at Kuwagamon.

"I…I'd be happy to go and find a Digimon for you to kill…" Kuwagamon said nervously.

"No, you'll do fine," Tomoya said.

"Blast Fire!" Mistymon fired the flames from his sword at Kuwagamon, instantly killing him as Mistymon loaded his data, much to the surprise of MetalTyrannomon.

"I don't get it…I thought he was your friend!" MetalTyrannomon hollered.

"He was no friend of mine," Mistymon said as his sword's flames grew brighter and stronger-looking. He then aimed his sword at MetalTyrannomon as MetalTyrannomon aimed his right hand at Mistymon. "Blast Fire!"

"Giga Destroyer II!"

* * *

"Hello, Dracmon."

"Oh, hey, Arkadimon!" the little Rookie greeted the large Ultimate enthusiastically. He had been watching the fight between Mistymon and MetalTyrannomon from up high on IceDevimon's now melting palace.

"Enjoying the fight?"

"Oh, yeah; my Cherrymon minion managed to convince Tomoya and Mistymon that Nate and MetalTyrannomon and everyone else in the group hates them, which wouldn't have been possible if you hadn't paid a visit to Mercurymon."

"Oh, I do what I can, little buddy. By the way, have you had any word from Elecmon?"

"Not since he went to the human world. Man, that is one brave little Digimon, going to the human world just to find who and what we need!"

"Yeah…look, I think they're about to finish each other off!"

"Cool!"

"When they do, do you mind if I go down there and have a little fun with them, Lord Dracmon?"

"By all means; enjoy yourself!" Dracmon said excitedly, then turned to watch the fight some more.

"Blast Fire!"

"Giga Destroyer II!" the powerful attacks of the two Ultimates caused a massive explosion that caused both to turn back to their Rookie levels.

"Agumon, are you ok?!" Nate asked, running over to his Digimon partner.

"I'm fine, Nate…"

"I can still fight, Tomoya!" Candlemon said angrily. Suddenly, a bolt of jet-black lightning struck the ground between Nate and Tomoya, and when it disappeared, a tall Digimon was standing where it had struck.

"Who is that?" Dalton asked.

"No, it can't be!" Betamon said fearfully. "It's Arkadimon…he's supposed to be one of the strongest Digimon in the entire Digital World!"

"That's Lieutenant Colonel Arkadimon to you!" Arkadimon said angrily.

"Lieutenant Colonel? Why Lieutenant Colonel?" Theo asked.

"I just think it sounds cool, ok?!"

"So, what do you want with us?" Emerilla asked.

"Well, now that the strongest two Digimon in your group have worn each other out, I shall take it upon myself to destroy you other weaklings!"

"Not if we can help it! Betamon Digivolve to, Seadramon! Ice Blast!"

"Tapirmon Digivolve to, Unimon! Aerial Attack!"

"Hawkmon Digivolve to, Thunderbirdmon! Spark Wing!"

"Salamon Digivolve to, Darcmon! Dancing Sword!" the four attacks hit Arkadimon head-on, creating an explosion.

"All right, you did it!" Dalton exclaimed.

"You must be kidding!" Arkadimon said, flying out of the smoke caused by the explosion. "Dot Matrix!" Arkadimon swung his hand, creating a huge shockwave that blasted away Seadramon and Darcmon, making them turn back to their Rookie levels. Thunderbirdmon and Unimon managed to fly out of the way of the attack just in time. At that time, Theo and Emerilla got out their keys and pointed them at their Digimon.

"Thunderbirdmon Digivolve to, Parrotmon!"

"Unimon Digivolve to, Mammothmon!"

"So, you think that turning yourself into larger targets would save you? Your stupidity is a big waste of my time! Come here, Dracmon!" Arkadimon yelled.

"Dracmon!" Mia exclaimed. "You disappeared before Darcmon killed Cerberumon! How have you been?"

"You need me?" the little Rookie hollered as he leaped off the palace and next to the Ultimate, completely ignoring Mia.

"Summon my dragon."

"Oh, goody!" Dracmon said, whistling. Not long after, the loud wing beats of a flying Digimon could be heard, and soon, the dragon had arrived.

"Megadramon, do me a favor and destroy these pests, would you?" Arkadimon asked.

"Yes sir, Lieutenant Colonel Arkadimon!" Megadramon said, saluting as the smaller Ultimate summoned a dark portal which disappeared as soon as he and Dracmon went through it.

"You'll all see! Someday very soon, my uncle will rule both the human and Digital Worlds!" Dracmon said before he vanished.

"Oh, boy; don't tell me that Dracmon is really an enemy," Mia said.

"Sorry to say it, but he is," Theo said.

"Emerilla, may I fight?"

"No! Absolutely not! You're too injured to fight that big dragon!" Emerilla said, holding on tight to her Digimon.

"Thou shalt not be disappointed; I shall fight on and win!" Parrotmon said, taking flight.

"Dark Side Attack!" from both his hands, Megadramon unleashed countless missiles.

"Freezing Breath!" Mammothmon unleashed a cold beam from her trunk, freezing over all the missiles.

"Mjollnir Thunder!" Parrotmon let loose a blast of electricity that struck Megadramon all over, making him roar in pain.

"Tusk Crusher!"

"Parry Force!" Megadramon flapped his wings, creating a gust of wind that sent Mammothmon's attack back at her.

"Mjollnir Thunder!" Parrotmon attacked again, but this time Megadramon flew out of the way just in time.

"Ultimate Slicer!" Megadramon struck Parrotmon with his claw, making him fall to the ground. He then turned back into Hawkmon. "Dark Side Attack!"

"Freezing Breath!" Mammothmon's attack froze over Megadramon's missiles once again.

"Ultimate Slicer!" Megadramon jabbed Mammothmon in the face, making her fall over and turn back into Tapirmon. Megadramon then let loose a victorious roar.

"Emerilla, please let me fight!" Lunamon pleaded.

"No! Please…I don't want to see you get hurt ever again!" Emerilla shouted.

"Human weaklings…prepare to die! Dark Side Attack!"

"Blast Fire!" Mistymon came seemingly from nowhere, aimed his sword at Megadramon, and shot a powerful blast of flames from it at the dragon, instantly killing it. Mistymon chose not to absorb the data as he turned back into Candlemon.

"Hey, thanks for saving us!" Agumon said to Candlemon, who looked away.

"Look, Tomoya, I don't care what that Mercurymon told you, but it isn't true!" Nate said.

"But…Mercurymon can't lie!" Tomoya said.

"I didn't say he was lying! Maybe what you saw was being distorted by an evil Digimon like that Arkadimon!"

"Also, Dracmon has an attack called 'Eye of Nightmare,' which seems to hypnotize whoever looks at the eyes on the palms of his hands," Mia said.

"I…was tricked?" Tomoya asked quietly.

"Isn't it obvious? You know I'd never be glad you went missing, and I wasn't glad you were missing in that forest! You know that, don't you?" Nate asked.

"Nothing that rock said is true!" Mia said.

"You all…don't hate me?"

"I could never hate you, Tomoya," Mia said quietly.

"Me neither," Nate said in agreement, and everyone else in the group agreed.

"I…I'm sorry…everyone…it's just that I spoke to this Cherrymon in the forest, and he told me all of that stuff…" Tomoya said, falling to his knees.

"Cherrymon? Say no more," Nate said, remembering the Cherrymon from the TV show.

"He was probably one of that Dracmon's minions," Theo said.

"Whatever he told you about us was an intentional lie, unlike what Mercurymon might have said," Agumon said.

"I'm sorry, everyone…I'm probably just about the worst friend in the world," Tomoya said sadly.

"Hey, don't worry about it," Dalton said. "After all, nothing that happened was your fault."

"The important thing is now that you're not going to let your wrath control you anymore, Sanzomon will appear any second now and give you a lock like this one," Emerilla said, holding up hers.

"I hate to say it, but I'm still feeling pretty angry," Tomoya said. "Not at you guys, but at that stupid Dracmon and Arkadimon! They were the ones who make me attack you guys! I don't care what Sanzomon might give me for cooling off, because it's not going to happen anytime soon. I'll take all the hatred they forced onto me and I'll use it as a weapon to destroy the both of them!"

"Tomoya!" Emerilla exclaimed. "I want to get back at those evil Digimon as much as you do, but you cannot fight them out of revenge! If you kill out of revenge…"

"I don't want to hear it; using my sin of wrath against them might just be the only way to stop them, have you ever thought about that? I almost killed you guys, and I need to make it up to you by paying the consequences. I don't care what happens to me as long as I can protect the Digital World! Are you with me, Candlemon?"

"You know you don't ever need to ask," Candlemon said.

"That Arkadimon…I'll bet he's the one who has Shibumi!" Dalton suddenly said.

"That's a pretty big assumption; what makes you say that?" Mia asked.

"Well, Phelesmon didn't have him, so it's got to be Arkadimon! I mean, there are no other evil Digimon we're talking about, right?"

"That's a good point, but what if it's a Digimon besides Arkadimon that has Shibumi?" Emerilla asked. "And even if it is Arkadimon and we plan to track him down, how would we go about doing that? We don't have Grademon here helping us out like last time!"

"Perhaps I could be of assistance?" Sanzomon asked once her hologram spontaneously appeared.

* * *

A/N: Whenever I imagine Mistymon using his Blast Fire attack, I imagine it looking like EmperorGreymon's Dragonfire Crossbow attack from the fourth season. Anyone else agree?


	32. To Meet the Master

"Sanzomon, do you know where Arkadimon lives?" Mia asked.

"_That's Lieutenant Colonel Arkadimon to you!_" Nate said mockingly, making everyone laugh.

"Yes, actually, I do," Sanzomon pointed in the direction of the setting sun. "He lives in a castle west of this very location deep in a forest, and not too far off. And…I also know a little bit of what he's planning."

"What's he going to do?" Tomoya asked angrily.

"He's planning on going to the human world, and you and your friends are going to have to stop him."

"The human world? Why is he going there?" Emerilla asked.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I know he's looking for a person and some sort of a computer program. I'm afraid that's all I know."

"Don't worry about it; we'll stop that evil Digimon!" Nate said boisterously.

"Tomoya, I trust you heard from the others about the locks," Sanzomon said sadly.

"Yes, I know about them.

"Then you must understand why you have not received one yet."

"Yes, I know; it is because there is a large amount of hatred and anger in my heart, isn't there?" Sanzomon nodded sadly. "That's ok; you don't need to worry about me. Arkadimon, I'm assuming, is the one who built up all the rage in my heart, so I plan on using it as a weapon against him." Sanzomon's eyes widened in fear and concern.

"Tomoya, please tell me you're not serious!" Sanzomon's voice sounded rather shaky.

"I am; it may be their fault I'm mad, but I'm just as much to blame as they are for believing them, and since they made me hurt my friends, I need to pay the consequences."

"Tomoya, please don't do it! The first time you kill simply out of anger and vengeance, that same hatred will follow you all your life and it will never go away!"

"Really Tomoya, you didn't even hurt us!" Dalton said.

"I didn't even get that hurt when I battled Mistymon," Agumon said. "No offence, buddy."

"None taken," Candlemon said.

"I'm sorry, Miss Sanzomon, but they made me attempt to do it, and no matter how many times my friends might forgive me, what Candlemon and I did…what we tried to do is completely unforgivable. Those evil Digimon made me doubt the friendships of my best and only friends in the world, so I need to do something to make up for it, and if that something ruins the rest of my life…well, I don't really care. I'm going to do it anyway, and nobody; not Miss Sanzomon, not my friends, not my parents, not even Candlemon, can talk me out of this." Sanzomon's hologram looked stunned at what she had just heard.

"…I understand. I will continue to watch over you in case the day comes were you let go of all of your anger."

"I don't mind that. By the way, when I went by Phelesmon's old hideout, you, Grademon, and Wisemon had all left. Why?"

"It wasn't a lightly made decision; we knew there were evil Digimon in that forest that we knew you could easily defeat without our help; we just wanted you to try. We wouldn't have left if we didn't think you could handle it, but deep down, we all knew you could, even Wisemon."

"Thank you for trusting us."

"I wish you luck on your journey, brave Digidestined…I hope you are able to stop Arkadimon before he goes to the human world."

"Hold on a minute, Sanzomon!" Dalton exclaimed. "There's actually another reason why some of us are here; to look for our parent's Digimon. Do you happen to know where they are?"

"I'm afraid I don't. I'm very sorry," Sanzomon's hologram said sadly.

"That's ok; we'll just have to look for them after we beat Arkadimon."

* * *

It was now the next day, and the group headed west for several hours before reaching an old-looking castle in a large forest they suspected was Arkadimon's.

"I don't think we should go in there just yet," Theo said. "At least, we shouldn't go until we know if it's Arkadimon's castle or not. What if it isn't, but there turns out to be a strong Digimon in there who gets mad at trespassers?"

"Well, Miss Sanzomon said it wasn't really that far of a walk, and we've walked a long way, and this is the only building we've seen so far; I'd say it is Arkadimon's castle," Nate said.

"For once, Nate makes a good point," Emerilla said. "We don't really have anything to lose by going in, do we?"

"I think Tomoya should decide; after all, he's our leader, isn't he?" Mia asked, shocking Tomoya.

"You all…consider me a leader?"

"Of course we do! You're wearing goggles, after all; the leader of the Digidestined wouldn't look right without them," Nate said happily.

"Yeah, even though sometimes, you're kind of a dumbass, I'm still proud to call you our leader," Emerilla said.

"Wow, uh…thank you for accepting me so easily," Tomoya said.

"I'm just glad you were able to forgive us," Mia said.

"But you guys didn't do anything wrong, and neither did Mercurymon! It was all Arkadimon's fault! And I say we go in there and kill the son of a bitch!"

"I'm with you, buddy!" Dalton said.

* * *

"Dracmon, are all of the minions you gathered for my army ready to take off?"

"Yes, uncle; I know for sure that you'll find them all to your liking," Dracmon said. "Especially this one!" two doors swung open, and a tall Digimon dressed in black walked in.

"The name's Beelzemon; are you the one in charge?" Beelzemon asked.

"Yes; I am called Astamon, and I shall be leading the Digimon army to the Digital World, of which you will be a part of."

"I got it."

"Now, correct me if I'm wrong, Beelzemon, but you have been to the human world twenty years ago and even found yourself a pair of tamers, and yet, you volunteered for this job. May I ask why?"

"Well, I heard from the other Digimon that we'll be going nowhere near where my tamers live while we're there; I really don't care what I do as long as you give me my reward," Beelzemon said, bowing down on one knee.

"Yes, you are correct; your tamers are nowhere near where we'll be going. However, what would you do if I decided to…involve them?" Astamon asked.

"I'd shoot you where you stand, got it?"

"Well, I'm glad I have no plans to involve your tamers then. Also, once I get what I want, I promise we'll all come back here."

"I know."

"Good; now, I believe those humans are inside my castle; would you mind eradicating them for me before we head out?"

"Not at all, Lord Astamon; I'll be on my way," Beelzemon said, standing up and leaving the room.

"Now Dracmon, you remembered to tell Arkadimon that he is to stay behind, didn't you?"

"Of course, Uncle Astamon! I would never forget anything you told me to do!" Dracmon said earnestly.

"Of course not; that is why I love you so much, dear nephew. Now, bring the army in here, as well as Arkadimon!"

"Right away!" Dracmon said, blowing on a whistle, and suddenly, a rather medium-sized group of Digimon entered the room, including Beelzemon and Arkadimon, who had gone to stand up beside Dracmon and Astamon, alongside a floating Digimon behind Arkadimon.

"Look upon me, my grand army, for I am your lord and master; Astamon!" there was much cheering and applauding from the army. "There are two reasons we are going to the human world; the first reason is to find a man named Shibumi! He was one of the original creators of us Digimon, so I believe his knowledge would be helpful to us!" more cheering and applause came from the army, but Arkadimon simply grinned.

_You weak-minded fool, Astamon! If you were as smart as me, then you would have known Shibumi entered the Digital World long before the Digidestined did! But he is in my possession now, where you will never find him! Oh, my revenge on you will be beautiful, Astamon; just you wait!_ Arkadimon almost laughed, but he stopped himself.

"The second reason is to look for a computer program called Yuggoth, which is a program that could easily wipe out the entire Digital World; with it in my possession, we have nothing to fear from those humans!"

"You're so smart, Lord Astamon!" one of the Digimon in the army shouted.

"Yes, I suppose I am, aren't I? Are you all ready to go?!" the army cheered as loud as it could. "This is the gate we shall use to enter the human world!" behind Astamon, two enormous doors swung open, revealing a white portal.

"Company move!" Beelzemon shouted, and the currently unidentified Digimon walked through the portal one at a time.

"Not so fast!" Tomoya shouted, running down some stairs alongside the others.

"Who are you? Are you part of my army?" Astamon asked.

"No, we're here to stop you!" Mia shouted back.

"Beelzemon, I thought you dealt with them," Astamon whispered.

"Nah, I was getting a beast prepared to fight them for me!" Beelzemon put his fingers in his mouth and whistled, and suddenly, a wall broke down as an enormous Digimon entered the room. "Sorry about that wall, master; guess that Gryphonmon isn't too smart."

"Don't worry about it, Beelzemon; as long as they can beat those Digidestined, I don't care what your little beasts destroy!"

"Wait a minute…did he say…Beelzemon?" Tomoya asked.

"We don't have time to worry about that, we have to stop them!" Dalton said.

"Oh yeah!" Tomoya exclaimed as he dug out the yellow card from his pocket.

"Thanks for reminding me!" Dracmon said, leaping through the air and snatching the yellow card from Tomoya. "You won't be needing this!" Dracmon ripped up the yellow card, and then jumped through the portal, soon followed by Astamon and Beelzemon.

"Quick, after them!"

"Oh, no you don't Gryphonmon said, jumping in front of the portal. If you want to get through this portal, you'll have to get through me!"

"Candlemon Digivolve to, Wizardmon! Electro Squall!"

"Agumon Digivolve to, Tyrannomon! Blaze Blast!"

"Hawkmon Digivolve to, Thunderbirdmon! Thunderstorm!"

"Solo Roar!" Gryphonmon unleashed a high-frequency sound wave from his mouth, disintegrating the three attacks. "You're going to have to do better than that, pathetic weaklings!" Theo, Tomoya, and Nate got out their keys and pointed them at their Digimon.

"Wizardmon Digivolve to, Mistymon! Blast Fire!"

"Tyrannomon Digivolve to, MetalTyrannomon! Giga Destroyer II!"

"Thunderbirdmon Digivolve to, Parrotmon! Mjollnir Thunder!" the three attacks hit Gryphonmon right in the face, angering him.

"Legendary Claw!" Gryphonmon roared as he leapt toward the three Ultimates, prepared to strike with his claws, but before he landed, Mistymon leaped up and stabbed Gryphonmon in the chest with his sword, instantly killing him, turning him into data, which Mistymon absorbed.

"Come on, we have to get through that portal!" Tomoya shouted.

"It's too late; the gate's closed, and only an evil Digimon as strong as Astamon can reopen it," Arkadimon said. "Good try, though."

"That Astamon…he was controlling you?! You weren't the one in charge after all?!" Tomoya asked.

"Nope, Astamon's my boss, but I was the one to manipulate Mercurymon's mirrors to make you see what you did; Cherrymon was under Dracmon's control."

"Kill him, Mistymon!" Tomoya screamed.

"Gladly; Core Dart!"

"Not so fast!" the Digimon hovering behind Arkadimon flew in front of Arkadimon and slashed through Mistymon's attack with his scythe. "I will not allow you to harm my master, Lieutenant Colonel Arkadimon!"

"I knew I could depend on you, Phantomon," Arkadimon said happily. Unlike other Phantomon, this one had a black hood instead of a red one. "Come on, let's go."

"Yes, Lieutenant Colonel!" Arkadimon left the room, followed closely by Phantomon.

"How are we supposed to get out of here?!" Tomoya shouted.


	33. Home Free

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter this time DX

* * *

"How are we supposed to get out of here?!" Tomoya shouted.

"Don't worry, Tomoya, we'll think of something," Candlemon said.

"I'll contact Yamaki to see if he can do anything," Dalton said, pulling out the Comm Device.

"Any door can be opened as long as you have the right key."

"Sanzomon! Do you know how we can get back?" Tomoya asked.

"I can do better than that; I can open up this gate for you, but it will take some time," Sanzomon's hologram said.

"Wait, Arkadimon said that only a strong and evil Digimon could open it," Theo said. "But you're not evil, and you're a hologram! How are you going to open it?"

"I just need a little time to do it."

* * *

"Lieutenant Colonel Arkadimon, there seems to be a problem," Phantomon said.

"What is it this time, Phantomon?" Arkadimon asked.

"It seems as though the humans are able to open the gate with the help of Sanzomon."

"So, they didn't believe my lie, did they?"

"What should we do, Lieutenant Colonel Arkadimon?"

"I'm busy trying to figure out what to do with our prisoner. Send our pet to deal with them."

"Understood, Lieutenant Colonel!"

* * *

"How much longer should this take?" Tomoya asked.

"I'm not sure; not too long," Sanzomon's hologram said, standing in front of the gate, her eyes glowing.

"All right, I just told Yamaki that there's a bunch of Digimon heading his way, and that we're working on coming home," Dalton said.

"Something's coming," Sanzomon said. "Digivolve quickly and deal with it, but don't let it disrupt me, or I'll have to start over." Just then, a giant blue Digimon crashed through the ceiling.

"MegaKabuterimon!" Nate exclaimed. "Hurry up and Digivolve, Agumon!"

"Agumon Digivolve to, Tyrannomon! Blaze Blast!"

"Let us help out! Betamon Digivolve to, Seadramon! Ice Blast!"

"Tapirmon Digivolve to, Unimon! Aerial Attack!"

"Horn Buster!" the MegaKabuterimon fired an electrical blast from his horn that completely obliterated the three attacks and struck the three Digimon, slamming them into a wall on the opposite side of the room that made Seadramon and Unimon turn back into their Rookie levels.

"You can do it, Tyrannomon!" Nate said, aiming his key at Tyrannomon.

"Tyrannomon Digivolve to, MetalTyrannomon!"

"The gate's opening!" Sanzomon said as the gate Astamon had earlier opened began to appear.

"Come on, everyone!" Tomoya said as he and the others ran for the gate.

"Oh, no you don't! You're not getting back to your world THAT easily!" MegaKabuterimon said, jumping in front of the gate, but was tackled away by MetalTyrannomon. Dalton and Lilac ran to retrieve their Digimon, and ran through the portal with the others.

"Leave him, come on!" Nate called. "The gate is about to close!"

"Giga Destroyer II!" MetalTyrannomon launched a missile from his right hand at the giant insect, instantly killing him as he turned back into Agumon.

"That was a real close call, Agumon, but it looks like we made it!"

"I'm just glad I didn't mess everything up for you!" Agumon said as he and Nate leapt into the gate, which immediately closed afterward.

"Digidestined, I wish you luck on your quest," Sanzomon's hologram said, disappearing.

* * *

"Is this it? Are we really back home?" Nate asked.

"Yeah, this is the park we were all hanging out at when we first went to the Digital World," Emerilla said.

"There doesn't seem to be any sign of Astamon or any other Digimon here," Tomoya said.

"Does that mean he arrived somewhere else in this world?" Nate asked.

"That's a definite possibility," Theo said. "We're all going to have to split up and defeat the Digimon army he brought with him, since they're more likely to be searching for what Astamon's after than Astamon is."

"That makes sense; plus, when we load their data, we'll definitely be strong enough to face Astamon if we have to!" Candlemon said.

"They're also probably going to be spread out over the town, so if you see any sign of them, just run like hell and try to beat them!" Nate said.

* * *

"Greetings, Lord Astamon!" the purple Elecmon greeted his master as soon as he saw him.

"Enjoying the view, Elecmon?" Astamon said, looking off the edge of the skyscraper.

"You know me better than that, sir; I was just trying to get a better look of the town to see where I haven't been yet," Elecmon said.

"Well, I have some good news for you; you may not have to search much longer. I've brought an entire army with me to help you, and I'm sure it is close by. This whole matter should be dealt with in a few days at the most. Also…there is something else I'd like you to keep an eye out for; a man named Shibumi."

"What does he look like?"

"He's rather old, has a beard, and a yellow jacket, from what I've heard."

"Great; that narrows it down to about half a million people in this city!"

"Relax, Elecmon; as I've said, I brought an entire army with me, so this shouldn't take long."


	34. Attacked by Two Digimon

"I'm not sure we ought to split up just yet," Theo said.

"Why not?! If we just stay as one big group, this'll take longer!" Nate said.

"It's pointless for us all to split up right this very minute when we have no idea what we're doing or where we're going. We should at least go back into town and see how bad things are before we make a decision."

"But that'll take too long! I want to start fighting now!" Agumon said.

"Me too!" Salamon said.

"What if they want us to split up? Maybe they have a trap set up for each of us," Mia suggested.

"Exactly; we should at least find one Digimon so we can see what we're up against, and then we can decide how big our smaller groups should be," Theo said.

"No way; that'll take way too long1 What if all those evil Digimon decide to start destroying everything while we sit on our asses thinking of something to do?!" Nate asked.

"Guys, while you were all arguing, a Digimon managed to find you," Betamon said.

"Where is it?" Mia asked.

"It's real close," Salamon said, and just then, a large black Digimon burst through the trees while unleashing a mighty roar.

"What the hell is that thing?!" Nate shouted.

"It looks kind of like Gigadramon, but something seems different," Theo said.

"I…am…Grimmon…!" the Digimon said slowly. "All humans…must be destroyed!"

"I've never heard of a Digimon like that before!" Tomoya said.

"Destroy…humans!" Grimmon roared.

"This may not be as difficult a fight as it seems," Tapirmon said. "Grimmon doesn't seem to have a will or a mind; he's completely berserk, living only to fight."

"He's not able to think for himself? How awful!" Mia said.

"Can you beat him?" Lilac said.

"I shall do my best! Tapirmon Digivolve to, Unimon! Aerial Attack!"

"Call Dragonfly!" the yellow form of a giant dragonfly appeared in front of Grimmon, which then unleashed an electrical attack at Unimon's attack, making it explode. "You'll have to do better than that! I am a Champion, but you seem so weak!" Grimmon growled.

"Aerial Gallop!"

"Power Cutter!" Grimmon attacked Unimon with the scythe on his left hand, making her fall to the ground.

"No way! Grimmon's so powerful," Nate said nervously. "And he's only a Champion!"

"We may not have the luxury of splitting up if this is how powerful the Champion Digimon in his army are," Theo said, and for once, Nate didn't argue.

"You can do it Unimon," Lilac said softly, aiming her key at Unimon.

"Unimon Digivolve to, Mammothmon! Freezing Breath!"

"Black Blast!" Grimmon launched a sphere of dark energy from his right hand through Mammothmon's attack, striking her face. "Call Bird!" Grimmon summoned the forms of two blue birds that flew directly at Mammothmon's sides, attacking her with their sharp beaks.

"That attack was weak, Grimmon!" Mammothmon shouted, making Grimmon roar in anger. "Tusk Crusher!" Mammothmon launched two missiles from her tusks at Grimmon, instantly killing him.

"Looks like I won't be getting my reward from Astamon…ah, damn; I really wanted that Chrono Core…!" Grimmon said sadly as he turned back into data, which Mammothmon absorbed before turning back into Tapirmon.

"Good job, Tapirmon," Lilac said.

"Thank you," Tapirmon said.

"Guys, I think I hear something in this direction," Salamon said, looking in the direction of the city. "It sounds kind of like people screaming!"

"Another Digimon!" Nate exclaimed.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Tomoya said, running in the direction Salamon was looking with the others.

"I see a Digimon!" Hawkmon said suddenly, flying above the park's trees. "It's attacking people and buildings!"

"What kind of Digimon is it?" Theo asked.

"I cannot tell; it is not a species I am familiar with, but we need to hurry!"

"Dalton, hurry up!" Betamon said.

"I can't…I'm not used to running this fast…" Dalton said, completely exhausted.

"Ok, fine; Betamon Digivolve to, Seadramon! Climb on my back, Dalton!" after Dalton had climbed on his back, Seadramon flew above the trees. "I'll go ahead and start fighting whatever that Digimon is!" Seadramon flew at top speed toward the Digimon, which he was able to recognize as Dragomon. The Dragomon was currently attempting to attack fleeing people with its trident, but with no luck. After so many unsuccessful attacks, Dragomon had turned his attention to the many building of the city and began attacking them, completely destroying many, while some caught on fire.

"HAHAHA! Such beautiful destruction!" Dragomon laughed.

"Hey, ease up on this beautiful destruction of yours, would 'ya?" a small, human-like Digimon flying next to Dragomon's head said.

"Oh, Witchmon! I'm sorry, ma'am, but I couldn't help myself! This is the first time I've ever been to the human world, and I just couldn't help myself!"

"Well, back off a little, would you?! For all we know, Shibumi and Yuggoth could've been in one of these building you just destroyed! That would mean that our journey here was useless!" Witchmon shouted.

"Sorry, ma'am; I'll be more careful in the future; I promise!" Dragomon said.

"Very well, then; go attack that Digimon! He's with a human!" Witchmon said, pointing at Seadramon.

"Yes ma'am! Forbidden Trident!" Dragomon thrust his trident near Seadramon's head, but Seadramon easily flew out of the way in time. "Damn, he's fast!"

"Well, don't let me see your ugly face again until he's destroyed; got it memorized?" Witchmon asked.

"Yes ma'am!" Dragomon said eagerly, and Witchmon flew away. "Forbidden Trident!"

"Ice Winder!" just as Dragomon positioned himself in a striking pose, Seadramon wrapped his body around his arms and legs, preventing him from moving. "Ice Blast!" Seadramon's attack struck Dragomon's head, completely freezing it over. Seadramon then unwrapped his body rather quickly, making Dragomon fall over, and when he fell and hit his frozen head on the ground, it instantly shattered, killing Dragomon and turning him into data which Seadramon absorbed.

"Nicely done, Seadramon!" Dalton said.

"Yeah, but, I wish I could've stopped him sooner…look at all this destruction he caused!" Seadramon said as he landed on the ground before turning back into Betamon.

"Yeah…"

"I think we should all go home," Theo said.

"What?! Why?!" Nate asked.

"With all these Digimon around, I'd sure like to be home with Hawkmon in case a Digimon in Astamon's army comes by; that way, I could defend my family." Not even Nate argued with this.

"We should at least meet up somewhere tomorrow so we can figure out what to do," Tomoya said.

"How about the park?" Mia suggested.

"All right, that's a good idea. Everyone, make sure your Digimon get plenty to eat tonight so they don't get hungry while fighting tomorrow," Theo said.


	35. The Clash at Nightfall

"Mom, we're back," Tomoya said as he opened the front door of the bakery.

"Tomoya! Dalton! Welcome back!" Jeri exclaimed, hugging her son and nephew. "Did you have a good time in the Digital World?"

"Uh…yeah, it was ok…"

"We weren't able to find Guilmon or any of the others," Dalton said. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, don't worry about that, Dalton! I'm just glad the two of you and your Digimon are both ok!" Jeri said happily.

"We won't be able to go back for a while," Tomoya said. "While we were in the Digital World, a Digimon called Dracmon destroyed the yellow card!"

"Also, there's an army of powerful Digimon under the control of an even stronger Digimon called Astamon," Dalton said. "We don't know what they're doing here besides the fact that they are looking for something."

"So, as much as we'd both LOVE to go to school and do our homework, we have to work on destroying all these evil Digimon first," Tomoya said.

"Hey Tomoya, what's school?" Candlemon asked.

"Trust me, you don't want to know."

"That's ok, I understand. Just make sure the four of you come home for dinner each day, all right?"

"Don't worry, Aunt Jeri; we'll all be fine," Dalton said.

"Tomoya, Dalton, how long have you been back?" Takato asked as he entered the bakery.

"For just a few minutes. They said there's an army of Digimon here that's looking for something," Jeri said.

"Well, that would certainly explain how about half of downtown got completely destroyed," Takato said. "So, were you able to find Shibumi?"

"Crap, I completely forgot about him! We've been more busy thinking about defeating Astamon and his army that we didn't have time to think about him!" Tomoya said.

"And now that the yellow card has been destroyed, it'll be difficult to go back to try and find him, let alone Guilmon and the others," Dalton said. "I'm sorry, Uncle Takato, but we weren't able to find Guilmon."

"Hey, don't worry about that! I'm just glad you're all back here safe and sound," Takato said.

* * *

"Emerilla, you're home!" Rika said happily, hugging her daughter when she got home.

"I wasn't able to find Renamon or Cyberdramon, mom," Emerilla said sadly. "The yellow card has been destroyed, so we can't really go back…I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry, Emerilla; I'm just so glad to have you back from the Digital World," Rika said.

"Yeah, me too…but I can't stay long tomorrow; there's a big army of powerful Digimon lurking around town looking for something, and me and my friends are the only ones who can stop them from destroying everything!"

"…I understand. Just be careful while you're out there, ok?"

"Don't worry; I'll keep her safe," Lunamon said.

"I know you will…thank you, Lunamon."

* * *

"Hey, Lilac; have a good time in the Digital World?" Henry asked once his daughter arrived home.

"Yes…Tapirmon managed to Digivolve to the Ultimate level while I was there," Lilac said softly. "But…I didn't really have the time to go searching for Terriermon. I'm sorry…the yellow card was also destroyed, so we can't go back to look for him…or Shibumi…" Lilac's eyes began to tear up.

"Don't cry, Lilac; Terriermon and the others can take care of themselves in the Digital World, and Shibumi created the place, so I know he'll be fine."

"But…I know you miss Terriermon so much…I just wanted to find him for you…" Lilac said, wiping her eyes.

"Yeah…I do…and I know he misses me, too, even if he wouldn't admit it," Henry said with a warm smile. "But I know I'll see him someday soon; seeing you with Tapirmon has brought that hope into me after I once lost it all those years ago. Thank you, Lilac, and thank you, Tapirmon."

"You're welcome; I'm glad I was able to be of some service, sir," Tapirmon said humbly.

"You did more than that, Tapirmon; you kept my daughter safe the whole time she was in the Digital World!"

"Uh…speaking of the Digital World…while we were there, we discovered a powerful Digimon called Astamon that brought an entire army of Digimon with him to look for something," Lilac said.

"Wow, he brought an entire army to search for something?" Henry asked in amazement.

"I have a feeling there might be more to it than that, unfortunately," Tapirmon said.

"I see…well, good luck, then! I know you and your friends will be able to do it!" Henry said.

* * *

"Wow, this was a long day," Theo said, jumping onto his bed.

"Thou must try to get plenty of rest tonight, Theo, lest you fall asleep during a fight tomorrow," Hawkmon said, yawning before he instantly fell asleep. Theo lay down, but was not able to fall asleep in spite of being completely exhausted. He then reached over to where he had placed his Digivice and picked it up.

_I wonder who exactly picked us for this job,_ Theo thought as he looked into the blank screen of his Digivice. _Sometimes I wish there weren't so many evil Digimon that we have to kill…but if it weren't for them, I never would have gone to the Digital World and met Hawkmon, and I'd still be as greedy as that Mermaimon…_ Suddenly, the screen on his Digivice lit up, and soon Theo saw two yellow dots. "What…is going on?"

"Theo, is that you? Are you awake?" a voice from his Digivice said.

"Wisemon, is that you?" Theo asked. _Oh, I guess those dots are his eyes._

"Oh, good, you are awake!" Wisemon said happily.

"Wisemon, how are you able to do this? And what do you want?"

"Never mind how I'm able to do this, but listen up; there's another Digimon from Astamon's army attacking a ship close to your hose, and you seem to be the only one awake!"

"Are you sure? How do you know?"

"I'm not called 'Wisemon' for no reason, you know! Now, get going before that Digimon hurts any innocent people!" the screen on Theo's Digivice went blank.

"Hawkmon, wake up!" Theo said, jumping out of bed to wake up his Digimon partner.

"Whatever is the problem, Theo? Has morning descended upon us sooner than expected?" Hawkmon asked.

"Even worse; Wisemon just showed up on my Digivice, and he said that there's a Digimon from Astamon's army attacking a ship!"

"Understood; let's go!" Hawkmon said, flying through an open window. "Hawkmon Digivolve to, Thunderbirdmon! Theo, hop on!"

"Ok!" Theo climbed through the window and onto his Digimon's back, who flew off.

"Point me in the direction of where a ship would be in this city!" Thunderbirdmon said.

"Over there, to your left!" Theo said, pointing at a large body of water that was reflecting the moon. Thunderbirdmon flew at top speed toward the water, and easily spotted a large Digimon attacking a ship. "Who is that? It's so dark, I can't tell!"

"It's MarineDevimon; art thou familiar with this demon?"

"More or less."

"Good; never you fear, Theo; I shall destroy him! Spark Wing!"

"Hmm…it's starting to look as though that Yuggoth thing Lord Astamon asked for isn't on this ship…of course, it doesn't help that I don't know what it looks like," MarineDevimon said as Thunderbirdmon's attack struck his back, making him turn around to see who had attacked him. "Hey, are you in the army?"

"I would never join the side of an evil Digimon like Astamon!" Thunderbirdmon said angrily.

"Oh, ok; well, would you mind helping me look for something?" MarineDevimon asked.

"Dost thou not understand?! We are on opposite sides of this war!"

"Oh, I see! Dark Deluge!" MarineDevimon unleashed a blast of venomous ink from his mouth that struck Thunderbirdmon directly on the chest, making him and Theo fall into the water. "Hahaha, now you're mine!" MarineDevimon slammed down on the water's surface with his long arms, making Theo and Thunderbirdmon come flying out. "Dark Deluge!"

"Thunderstorm!" Thunderbirdmon quickly turned around and flapped his wings, unleashing an electrical wind that struck MarineDevimon and the water he was in, electrocuting him and instantly killing him, turning him into data that Thunderbirdmon instantly absorbed. "Theo, art thou alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…let's go home, I'm tired…" Theo said with a yawn.


	36. A Haunting Message

"…And although we're not sure of exactly what happened, eyewitnesses claim to have seen a fight between what was described as a giant thunderbird and some kind of sea monster," a newscaster on TV said, and Tomoya, Dalton, and their Digimon watched in shock, sitting at the breakfast table as the newscaster showed a video of the fight between Thunderbirdmon and MarineDevimon.

"I think we need to be a little more inconspicuous when we do this," Dalton said.

"Why?" Candlemon asked while helping himself to his 15th cream puff of the morning.

"Well, if we attract too much attention, then those news people will constantly be asking interviews and stuff, and we wouldn't have enough time to do what we need to do. Or, worse yet, if we attract enough attention, then the Digimon in Astamon's army might find out where we all live."

"That is, if they don't already know where we live," Tomoya said nervously.

"You make an excellent point, Dalton," Betamon said slowly. "As much as I would like to try doing this more stealthily for you, it'll be kind of hard to do when I become Seadramon."

"That's true…if you fight without Digivolving, it'll be difficult to win; maybe impossible," Dalton whispered.

"Don't worry about a thing, you guys; just leave everything to me!" Candlemon exclaimed suddenly.

"…You'll forgive me if I don't exactly feel reassured," Betamon sneered.

"No, really; it's a great idea! When I Digivolve to Wizardmon, I sort of look like a human, right? But when I turn back into Candlemon, everyone will be looking for Wizardmon, but they won't suspect that he's actually a candle!" Candlemon said happily.

"That actually sounds like a good idea," Betamon said honestly.

"Yeah, but don't forget; this isn't like the TV show where nobody knows about the Digimon. It's very likely that, if you fight everyone in Astamon's army all the time, sooner or later, someone will recognize you," Dalton said.

"Well, I don't think we should worry about all of this right now," Tomoya said, standing up and picking up his backpack.

"Why not?" Dalton asked.

"We've got more important things to worry about than what people who watch the news think. And if newscasters do find us and stop us for interviews, we'll just ignore them! We should at least wait on worrying about it until it actually happens, right?" Tomoya asked as he unceremoniously stuffed Candlemon into his backpack, against his partner's protests.

"Yeah…I guess you're right. Still, you should try to be as discreet as possible, ok?" Dalton asked Betamon as he stuffed his Digimon into his own backpack.

"You know I agree with you, right Dalton? I'm not going to go around town yelling, 'Hey, look, I have a Digimon!' or anything; I just think that it's the least of our concerns at the moment," Tomoya said as he and Dalton left the bakery.

"I know; I'm sorry, but that thing on the news with Thunderbirdmon kind of shocked me, you know? That was apparently just last night, but the media already knows about it."

"Yeah, me too…"

"Hey, Tomoya, could you hurry this up? It's kind of hard to breathe in here!" Candlemon shouted.

"Oh, sorry about that!" Tomoya laughed as he began to run toward the park, followed closely by Dalton.

* * *

"Theo! Agumon and I saw you on the news with Thunderbirdmon this morning!" Nate said excitedly once Theo had arrived at the park.

"Yeah…sorry about that, but I-"

"What are you apologizing for? That was awesome, little dude!" Nate said, patting the younger boy on the back rather hard.

"What were you two doing down there, anyway?" Mia asked.

"Well, somehow, Wisemon was able to contact me on my Digivice, and he was the one who told me that MarineDevimon was in the bay last night," Theo said. "He didn't tell me how he was able to contact me or how he knew MarineDevimon was attacking, though…"

"Were you able to find out anything about why Astamon is here?" Emerilla asked.

"Thunderbirdmon was flapping his wings pretty hard, so I couldn't really tell what he was saying," Theo said.

"I apologize," Hawkmon said.

"Don't worry about it…although, I think I caught the end of a word; it sounded kind of like 'goth.' Do any of you know what that might mean?" Theo asked, and instantly, everyone turned to look at Lilac, making her blush and hide her face against Tapirmon's back. "I don't think that's what he meant, guys; the 'goth' sounded like it was the end of a word." Everyone stopped staring intently at Lilac, but she still had her face hidden.

"What do you think that means?" Tomoya asked.

"I don't know; it could mean anything," Dalton said rather quietly.

"Well, let's just focus on defeating Astamon and his army before they get what they're looking for," Emerilla said. "Six of us should split up into groups of two, while the seventh should stay here at the park to make sure there's a park to come back to."

"I'll stay; I have something I'd like to ask Yamaki," Dalton said, taking out the Comm Device. Dalton and Betamon watched as the others split up, with Mia and Nate going one way, Theo and Tomoya going another, and Lilac and Emerilla going another.

"So, what are you going to ask Yamaki?" Betamon asked, but he was ignored as Dalton was busy writing his message to Yamaki.

* * *

"All of this walking around would be a hell of a lot easier if we knew what we were looking for!" Emerilla said after two minutes of walking around the city.

"Emerilla, stop complaining; nobody said this would be easy!" Lunamon shouted from inside Emerilla's backpack.

"Look at the bright side, Emerilla; if we're having this much trouble, then Astamon should be having a tough time to," Lilac said softly.

"...You know, Lilac, you're pretty easy to hang around with," Emerilla said.

"…How…do you mean that?"

"You're always calm and quiet; it's even enough to make me feel calm and relaxed. Quite an amazing feat, Lilac."

"…Thank you…" Lilac said with a small smile.

"Guys, there's a Digimon nearby!" Tapirmon said from inside Lilac's backpack.

"Where is it?" Emerilla asked as she and Lilac opened up their backpacks to free their Digimon, and soon after, they heard screams of people nearby looking at a tall building, and climbing the building was none other than a Digimon. "Who is that?"

"That's where my dad works!" Lilac exclaimed suddenly. "Tapirmon, please help him!"

"Don't worry, Lilac; I won't let that Digimon destroy that building! Tapirmon Digivolve to, Unimon!"

"I'll help out, too; Lunamon Digivolve to, Lekismon!" Lekismon jumped onto Unimon's back as she flew up toward the Digimon.

"It looks like BlueMeramon," Lekismon said.

"It doesn't matter who it is; I'm not letting him hurt Lilac or her father; Aerial Attack!" just before Unimon's attack hit, the BlueMeramon jumped up to the very top of the building to dodge it. The attack hit the building, making an explosion that made a rather large hole in the building.

"You'll never be able to hit me; I'm the fastest Digimon in this army!" BlueMeramon said with a grin.

"This ought to slow you down; Moon Night Bomb!"

"Cold Flame!" from his fist, BlueMeramon flung a cold flame at Lekismon's attack, instantly vaporizing it.

"We're going to need some help with this," Unimon muttered.

* * *

"Hey Tomoya, do you see that building over there?" Theo asked.

"Which one?" Tomoya asked.

"The one I'm pointing at."

"Oh, like that helps me any!" Tomoya said, annoyed.

"The tallest one! It looks like there's a blue flame on it!"

"That's no flame; it's a Digimon!" Candlemon said as he managed to free himself from Tomoya's backpack.

"We've got to get over there; Hawkmon, can you help us?" Theo asked.

"Of course I can; Hawkmon Digivolve to, Thunderbirdmon!"

"Try to fly at a high altitude so people below us think you're just a regular bird!" Theo said as he, Tomoya, and Candlemon climbed on the massive bird's back.

"Understood!" Thunderbirdmon shouted as he took off, and within a matter of seconds, they had arrived.

"Who is that?" Tomoya asked once they saw the Digimon Unimon and Lekismon were battling.

"It's BlueMeramon; he's a powerful Ultimate level Digimon, so those two are going to need some help!" Candlemon said, leaping off of Thunderbirdmon's back. "Candlemon Digivolve to, Wizardmon!" in a few seconds, Wizardmon landed on the building in front of BlueMeramon.

"Wizardmon!" Lekismon exclaimed.

"Be careful; this Digimon is really fast!" Unimon shouted.

"I think I'll be fine; Electro Squall!"

"Frost Knuckle!" BlueMeramon swiftly ran past Wizardmon's attack and punched him in the face, making him fall backward. "If you're smart, you'll stay down!"

"Well, I guess this means I'm an idiot! Magical Game!" Wizardmon turned himself invisible, but BlueMeramon merely chuckled.

"Mere parlor tricks like that won't help you to defeat me! Ice Phantom!" BlueMeramon unleashed a cold and powerful wind that practically shook the building he was standing on. "Now, you'll either turn visible and die quickly or stay invisible and die slowly! Not much of a choice if you ask me, though."

"Well, I didn't ask you, so keep your damn opinions to yourself; Electro Squall!" Wizardmon's attack struck BlueMeramon from behind.

"Wow, you don't even have the nerve to face me when you attack. I should've known; spending all of your time around those humans has made you a coward!"

"Wizardmon isn't a coward!" Tomoya yelled angrily as he took out his key and aimed it at Wizardmon.

"Wizardmon Digivolve to, Mistymon!"

"So you are the famous Mistymon I've heard so much about. Let's see if you're as powerful as the rumors say; Ice Phantom!"

"Blast Fire!" Mistymon's attack instantly destroyed BlueMeramon's attack when the two hit, and before BlueMeramon could attack again, Mistymon hit him with another Blast Fire, instantly destroying him as Mistymon loaded his data before turning back into Candlemon. "Well, that wasn't so difficult."

"Yeah, good job!" Tomoya said as Candlemon jumped back onto Thunderbirdmon's back as he flew down to the ground before turning back into Hawkmon, followed closely by Unimon and Lekismon, who also turned back into their Rookie levels.

"It's a good thing everyone ran away from BlueMeramon; it looks like there's nobody around to see you," Theo said with relief.

"Thanks for your help, guys," Emerilla said as she picked up Lunamon.

"Where's Lilac?" Tapirmon asked.

"She ran inside to make sure her dad's ok."

* * *

"…It's just like it was twenty years ago; only children are able to defeat these Digimon," Yamaki said, looking through a window of the building BlueMeramon was on. "I wish there was more I could do to help them…" Yamaki lamented, looking at the Comm Device he was holding. "I haven't heard anything from them since they told me an army was coming. I wonder if-" suddenly, the Comm Device's screen began to glow, indicating he had received a message. After pressing a few buttons, he read the message Dalton had sent him:

_We've safely made it back to this world, as you are no doubt aware of. There's an army of Digimon under control of an even stronger Digimon called Astamon, and they appear to be looking for something. We have no idea what that might be, but last night, Theo and his Digimon fought a Digimon, and Theo suspect that the end of a word he heard the Digimon said is what they are after. Apparently, the end of the word was '-goth.' Does that mean anything to you?_

After reading the message, Yamaki nearly dropped the Comm Device. "They're looking for it…the Yuggoth program…"


	37. Infiltrated

A/N: I apologize for not having updated my story for a long time, I recently bought Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, and have been rather addicted to that. I promise I will NEVER stop writing this story or anything of the sort. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

"Chuumon, as much as I regret having to do this to you, I'm going to have to pair you up with PlatinumSukamon to make sure everything goes according to plan," Astamon said. The Digimon were standing atop a tall building, taller than the Hypnos building, and had just witnessed BlueMeramon's death.

"Sukamon?! With all due respect, My Lord, why would you pair me with that incompetent nitwit?!" Chuumon asked angrily.

"Hey, come on!" PlatinumSukamon said defensively. "I'm not that…uh…" Sukamon scratched the top of his head, struggling to remember what he was about to say.

"Dumb?!" Chuumon snapped.

"Yeah, that's what I am!" PlatinumSukamon said happily, and then frowned about twenty seconds later. "Wait, I don't think that's what I meant to say…"

"Lord Astamon, this moron can't even remember his own name! How could you have even considered bringing this…thing with us?!" Chuumon asked.

"Believe me, Chuumon, under normal circumstances, I would not have brought a Digimon like him with us," Astamon said with a sigh. "But this PlatinumSukamon in particular is exceptionally powerful; I saw him take out my Devidramon in a single attack. If you had seen that, you'd be able to look past his unbelievable stupidity."

"But I didn't see that, master; you were the only one who did," Chuumon said.

"You'll just have to take my word for it, then; trust me when I say that PlatinumSukamon is a great addition to my – I mean, our – army. Or perhaps, do you not trust me? The Digimon that has saved your life and made you what you are today?"

"Of course I trust you, Lord Astamon!" Chuumon said quickly. "It's PlatinumSukamon that I have doubts in! But if it is what you wish, then I shall do it, sir."

"You may need to tell me what to do again," PlatinumSukamon said.

"Very well," Astamon said with a sigh. "You and Chuumon are to pretend to be allies of the first wretched Digidestined you see by attacking a Digimon I send to attack them. When you've earned their trust, find out everything they know about the whereabouts of Yuggoth and Shibumi, and report back to me when you discover their locations. Understand?"

"Uh…yeah?"

"Don't worry, sir; I'll make sure he doesn't screw anything up," Chuumon said.

"Excellent…now, how about trying to befriend those humans over there?" Astamon asked, pointing at Mia and Nate, who were walking near the park, about two miles away.

"Which ones? I can't see very far," Chuumon said, looking at where Astamon had pointed.

"The humans will be with a Salamon and an Agumon. I'll send Devidramon to follow you so you can attack at the right time. Do you understand, PlatinumSukamon? Attack Devidramon when he attacks humans."

"Yeah, I got it!" PlatinumSukamon said happily. Chuumon groaned, knowing that the Champion Digimon had already forgotten what he had just been told as he jumped on top of PlatinumSukamon's head as he made his way to the exit of the building's roof (having three times walked into a wall along the way.)

"Devidramon, are you ready?" Astamon asked as the giant dragon landed behind him on the building.

"I can't believe that little runt is going to make a fool out of me again! And this time it's on purpose," Devidramon said bitterly. "If JewelBeemon ever finds out about this…"

"Perhaps you would like to resign from this army? There is a very easy way for me to make that happen," Astamon said, pointing his machine gun at the Champion.

"No, no; I never said anything of the sort! I just hate that the little idiot's going to-"

"Enough of your whining, Devidramon; it hardly suits a Digimon like you. Just shut up and do your job, ok?"

"Yes, My Lord!" Devidramon said, taking flight as he headed in the direction of Mia and Nate.

* * *

"Nate, are you sure it's a good idea that we split up?" Mia asked nervously.

"What do you mean?" Nate asked.

"Well, I understand that if we split up, it might be easier to search for whatever those Digimon are looking for, or at least the Digimon in the army, but what if we run into a Digimon that Darcmon and MetalTyrannomon can't beat, like a Mega-level Digimon or something?"

"Hey, don't doubt me like that!" Agumon shouted angrily. "Did you not see me beat up that Gryphonmon back in the Digital World?!"

"Well, actually, it was Mistymon that-"

"No, it was me! All me! I did it!" Agumon said stubbornly.

"Don't worry, Mia; we'll be fine," Salamon said. "We can prove it to you, if you'd like; there's a Digimon coming this way!"

"All right! Let me at it!" Agumon shouted excitedly.

"Go for it, buddy!" Nate said, pointing his key at Agumon.

"Agumon warp Digivolve to, MetalTyrannomon!"

The Digimon got closer and closer until Nate could see that it was a Devidramon.

"Don't let your guard down, MetalTyrannomon; Devidramon can hypnotize you with its eyes," Nate said as the Dark Dragon landed in front of MetalTyrannomon.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine! Giga Destroyer II!"

"Crimson Claw!" the Devidramon easily avoided MetalTyrannomon's attack before attacking him with his gigantic claws, making MetalTyrannomon fall over onto his back.

"Don't look into his eyes!" Nate shouted as his Digimon partner got back up, but it was too late; as soon as the Ultimate got back up, Devidramon looked him dead in the eyes.

"Crimson Claw!" Devidramon raked his claws across MetalTyrannomon's face several more times before he fell over again.

"MetalTyrannomon, are you ok?" Nate hollered.

"Salamon, help him out!" Mia said as her Digivice began to glow.

"Salamon Digivolve to, Darcmon! Dancing Sword!" Darcmon slashed Devidramon across the face with her sword, making him roar in pain. The tip of Devidramon's tail opened up, taking the shape of a claw which he slammed onto Darcmon, pinning her against a tree.

_Why are those two taking so long to get here?! If I try to stall for time any longer, they might get suspicious when that idiot arrives…_ Devidramon thought, and just then, PlatinumSukamon had finally arrived, tackling Devidramon in the chest, making him fall over. The Devidramon then flew off without another word.

"Hey, are you two ok?" Chuumon asked, walking up to the two Digimon.

"Why did you save us?" Nate asked.

"What do you mean? We just didn't want to see anyone get hurt," Chuumon said.

"Aren't you a part of Astamon's army?" Mia asked.

"No way! We could never serve such a cruel tyrant!" Chuumon shouted. _Sorry, Astamon…_

"He forced us to come here by saying he'd kill us if we didn't come with him," PlatinumSukamon said, shocking Chuumon.

"Yeah…but, if we stay with you Digidestined, we'll be safe no matter what!" Chuumon exclaimed. "If it's not too much trouble, that is."

"Of course it isn't! We saw the way your friend tackled that dragon; we'd be happy to get all the help we can get for defeating Astamon!" Nate said.

"What are you talking about? I'm plenty strong enough to defeat that freak all on my own!" MetalTyrannomon shouted as he and Darcmon returned to their Rookie levels.

"Don't pay any attention to him; we'd be more than happy to protect you two," Mia said.

* * *

A/N: More coming soon, hopefully.


	38. Beelzemon's Reason

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter this time, but it features Beelzemon at least! That should make up for it, right?

* * *

Beelzemon sat on top of the building Astamon had stood mere moments ago, looking down at the city. "…to be back in this city, doing what I'm doing…Ai, Mako…I'm sure they wouldn't be proud of me," Beelzemon said with a sigh. "But if they knew why I was here, they might understand…"

"Lamenting upon the good old days?" Witchmon asked from behind Beelzemon, flying on her broom, startling the Mega.

"I've told you before, Witchmon; don't sneak up on me like that!" Beelzemon said.

"Sorry, handsome; thought maybe I could cheer you up a bit," Witchmon said. "…Were you…thinking of your human partners?"

"Shouldn't you be searching for that Yuggoth thing right now?"

"Everyone else in this army is searching for it and Shibumi; I'm sure they'll be fine without a klutz like me for a little while," Witchmon said, landing next to Beelzemon.

"How'd you know I had human partners?" Beelzemon asked.

"I asked around. From what I heard, they used to live in this very city. Why would you come here and tear this place up?"

"You said it yourself; they _used_ to live here. If they still lived here still, I'd already be fighting against Astamon."

"Ooh, that sounds treasonous!" Witchmon said with interest.

"So, what are you going to do about it? You going to tell Astamon on me?" Beelzemon asked.

"I'd never do that to you; you saved my life, remember?"

"…I'd never forget the day I met you, Witchmon."

"So, why are you here?" Witchmon asked. "You don't sound like the type of Digimon who'd follow the orders of a Digimon like Astamon for no reason."

"You're quite perceptive…you're right, I do have a reason," Beelzemon said sadly, looking up at the sky.

"Well? Are you going to tell me?"

"…It's my friends. Astamon has them trapped in his castle, and he's threatened to kill them if I didn't come with him. Actually, he had originally captured me along with the others, but he allowed me to come with him, 'cuz he knew I'd be the most willing to go along with his plan. He also told me that Ai and Mako had moved out of this city, giving me more reason to go along with his plan."

"…You do realize that Astamon was probably lying to you, don't you?" Witchmon asked suspiciously."

"Yeah, I guess so, but I can't really take the risk; if I'm responsible for the death of anyone else, my partners, they'd…if they ever found out, I'm sure they'd hate me…"

"Nonsense! A human partner could never hate their Digimon, especially a Digimon as kind as you!" Witchmon said.

"Kind? Heh…lady, if you only knew what I've done in my past…"

"I don't need to know, and it doesn't matter if your partners do or not! Even if they did know, I'm sure they'd still love you as much as you love them! You…do love them, don't you?" Witchmon asked.

"…Of course I do. Those two are like family to me. Up until I met them, the only living thing I could tolerate was my own selfish ass. Of course, they were pretty young when I first met them, and they argued with each other constantly up until I abandoned them, but they…they welcomed me back as soon as I found them again…"

"If you care about them that much, why don't you find them and fight against Astamon?"

"I can't do that! My friends will get killed if I betray him in the slightest!" Beelzemon shouted.

"You have other friends here in this city, don't you?" Witchmon asked. "What if one of them gets hurt because of you?"

"You talk too much," Beelzemon said with a sigh, standing up to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"To do my job, which you should also consider doing for once," Beelzemon snapped as he left the top of the building.

"Beelzemon…if you save a friend's life at the cost of killing another friend, what will you have accomplished?" Witchmon lamented as she flew away.


	39. The Digimon Army Makes its Move

"Where are Nate and Mia?!" Emerilla fumed, walking back and forth along the small stone ledge at the park. "They're late!"

"It's only 5:30; we still have plenty of time before we need to go back home," Theo said.

"Still, I wish they'd hurry," Dalton said seriously.

"Me too; especially since you won't tell us what Yamaki told you until they get here!" Betamon said.

"Come on; at least give us a hint!" Tomoya begged!

"No!" Dalton snapped.

"They're here," Lunamon said as Nate and Mia finally arrived.

"Sorry we took so long," Nate said apologetically.

"We would've gotten here faster if our new friend hadn't kept getting last!" Agumon said, glaring at PlatinumSukamon.

"Or walking into trees," Salamon muttered.

"Who is he?" Tomoya asked.

"This is PlatinumSukamon; he saved our lives from an attacking Devidramon," Mia said.

"You should've seen him! He tackled that Devidramon – larger than MetalTyrannomon – down to the ground!" Nate exclaimed.

"That dragon was not larger than me!" Agumon protested.

"What are he and his little friend doing here?" Candlemon asked.

"My name is Chuumon, and we were threatened into coming here by Astamon," Chuumon said solemnly, leaping off PlatinumSukamon's head. "He thought it would be convenient to have a few small Digimon scurrying around looking for that thing because we're fast and harder to see! We refused to do it the first time he asked us, but then he threatened to kill us if we didn't come with him, so here we are!"

"Don't worry; you're safe here with us," Mia said gently, picking up the small Rookie, who winced at her touch.

_Wait…did he…did Chuumon just flinch when Mia picked him up? Or did I imagine it? _Lilac wondered, staring at the Animal Digimon. No one else seemed to notice, so she stayed quiet.

"You said Astamon brought you here to 'look for that that thing,'" Dalton said slowly. "By any chance, would 'that thing' happen to be called Yuggoth?"

"Yeah, I think that's what he said," Chuumon said.

"Will you tell us what Yamaki told you now?" Emerilla asked.

"Very well," Dalton sighed, taking a deep breath as he began to read the message:

_Dalton_

_A long time ago, I made a program called Yuggoth, which was specifically designed for (please don't hold this against me) the eradication of Digimon before they had entered our world by permanently deleting their data. The program is, however, safe with me._

_This program MUST NOT fall into the hands of a Digimon like Astamon._

_Yamaki_

_I've found it!_ Chuumon thought excitedly. He had to bite his tongue to keep himself from saying anything. _All I need to do is find Lord Astamon or another Digimon working for him, and the program is as good as ours! All we need now is to figure out who this Yamaki person is…_

"Boy, it's a good thing we destroyed BlueMeramon; he might've almost gotten it if we hadn't noticed him," Candlemon said.

_Bingo! Now if only this human would put me down…_

"Is there anything we ought to do?" Mia asked, sitting on the stone ledge. "Like, should we go to the Hypnos building and destroy the Yuggoth or something?"

_The complete stupidity of humans never ceases to amaze me,_ Chuumon thought as he easily escaped from Mia's arms without her or anyone else's notice, running into the city. _I hope somebody is nearby!_

"If Yamaki wanted us to do anything specific, he would've told us in his message," Dalton said. "I say we continue doing what we did today until this is all over with."

"Hey, where did Chuumon go?" Mia asked as soon as she noticed he was gone.

"Have you seen him, PlatinumSukamon?" Candlemon asked, but PlatinumSukamon didn't respond; instead, he just sat where he was, unblinkingly staring into the distance (not the direction Chuumon went) with a little drool coming from his mouth.

* * *

"How do humans live like this, all crammed together?!" Chuumon said as he walked under the cars of a parking lot, frustrated that, after five minutes of searching, he had yet to find a Digimon. "Lord Astamon's going to have my a-"

"Hey, you there! You're Chuumon, right?" a Digimon said from on top of a car behind Chuumon.

"You must be Elecmon!" Chuumon said excitedly. "I have great news; I know where the Yuggoth program is!"

"Where is it?!" Elecmon asked as he leapt down from the car, equally as excited.

"It's somewhere inside the building BlueMeramon was sent to! I would've gone myself to search for it, but I'm not strong enough, so…"

"Don't worry, little buddy; I'll go look for it!" Elecmon said, running as fast as he could toward the Hypnos building.

"While you're there, I'll go tell Lord Astamon the location, too!" Chuumon said, running the opposite direction from Elecmon.

* * *

"After five days of searching, you mean to tell me that you don't even have the slightest idea of where Yuggoth or Shibumi might be?!" Astamon hollered at his remaining minions, who remained silent throughout the deafening echoes of their master's shouting.

"Don't worry, Lord Astamon; I've found Yuggoth!" Chuumon shouted as he ran through the tunnel into his master's enormous cave. "It's in the building BlueMeramon attacked! I've already told Elecmon about it, and he's on his way now!"

"Excellent, Chuumon; another job well done!" Astamon said, petting the mouse on his head. "Myotismon!"

"You called, my Lord Astamon?" a tall Digimon asked.

"Yuggoth is practically in our possession, so that leaves only Shibumi left to find. Summon your Digimon minions from the Dark Area of the Digital World, and search the city! Kill any human who dares oppose us, except for Shibumi!"

"Yes sir!" Myotismon said, slinking into the pitch-black shadows of the cave.

* * *

"Chuumon, where are you?!" Mia hollered worriedly.

"Mia, it's getting dark; we won't be able to find him," Theo said.

"I know you're right, but I don't want to leave him all alone like this!" Mia said, continuing to look for Chuumon.

"Where should we put this guy?" Nate asked, motioning at PlatinumSukamon.

"How about that stone thingy you kept us in?" Candlemon said, pointing at the small stone hideout.

"Good a place as any, I suppose."

"They're coming," Hawkmon said seriously, his feathers all ruffled up. Suddenly, the wind began to blow rather strongly.

"Who's coming?" Theo asked, having to shout over the increasingly stronger and louder wind.

"The army…the Digimon army!" Hawkmon said, pointing at the sunset, and all fourteen humans and Digimon could see the forms of many flying Digimon.

"This is the moment we've all been waiting for!" Myotismon said, laughing evilly. "Devimon minions; advance!"


	40. Invasion of the Demon Corps

"So, this is the building BlueMeramon was sent to," Elecmon said to himself, looking up at Hypnos. "It's exactly as Chuumon described." Elecmon began to walk toward the building. "This Yamaki person better be in here…"

* * *

"Do it just as we practiced, my army of Devimon; separate them!" Myotismon shouted, grinning evilly.

"An army of Devimon," Nate said disdainfully.

"Do you think the one we knew might be here?" Mia asked.

"If he was, you can bet he wouldn't be attacking us!" Tomoya said as his Digivice began to glow. "Are you ready, Candlemon?!"

"I'm always ready, Tomoya! Candlemon Digivolve to, Wizardmon!"

"Agumon Digivolve to, Tyrannomon!"

"Tapirmon Digivolve to, Unimon!"

"Hawkmon Digivolve to, Thunderbirdmon!"

"Lunamon Digivolve to, Lekismon!"

"Betamon Digivolve to, Seadramon!"

"Salamon Digivolve to, Darcmon!"

"Surround them all! Make escape impossible!" Myotismon shouted as an uncountable number of Devimon continued to surround and separate the Digidestined from each other. "Make sure they can't get into the city!"

"The city…" Theo said to himself as more and more Devimon continued to surround him and Thunderbirdmon. "There might be more Devimon in the city! Thunderbirdmon, we have to go!" Theo shouted as he climbed onto his partners back.

"Death Hand!" every last Devimon surrounding Thunderbirdmon unleashed a blast of energy from their hands, some of which hit Theo, almost causing him to fall off his Digimon.

"Hang on tight, Theo; Thunderstorm!" Thunderbirdmon flapped his wings as hard as he could, creating a powerful wind that scattered all the Devimon surrounding him.

"STOP! DON'T LET THEM ESCAPE!" Myotismon shrieked. Several of the Devimon that had fallen to the ground rose up and flew after Thunderbirdmon.

"Spark Wing!" without turning around, Thunderbirdmon unleashed his attack, striking all the Devimon in the air directly in the chest with a feather, instantly killing each of them.

"NO! Damn it, we can't let the Devimon in the city be interrupted!" Myotismon shouted angrily.

"Electro Squall!" Wizardmon unleashed a blast of electricity from his wand from behind the hovering Myotismon, but the Ultimate flew out of the way of the attack before he was struck.

"Crimson Lightning!" Myotismon summoned a stream of blood and struck Wizardmon across the chest, making him fall on his back.

"Wizardmon, are you ok?!" Tomoya shouted, running to his fallen partner.

"Electro Squall!" Wizardmon aimed his attack at Tomoya, but the boy ducked, and the attack instead hit a Devimon that was attempting to sneak up on the two of them. "We're going to have to retreat into the city like Thunderbirdmon," Wizardmon said weakly, struggling to get up.

"What about the others? We can't just leave them here!" Tomoya protested.

"We don't really have a choice here, Tomoya; we're far too outnumbered to continue this fight as we are now, even if I Digivolve to the Ultimate level. The others saw Thunderbirdmon leave, so they might be trying to escape as we speak, I hope…"

"But…how are we going to escape? You can't fly!"

"Well, actually I can, but…just hold on tight to my arm; Magical Game!" As soon as Tomoya grabbed his partner's arm, Wizardmon turned them both invisible. "I'm still a little unsteady from Myotismon's attack," Wizardmon whispered as he took flight, carefully maneuvering around the Devimon. "When we land, hold on tight to my arm to make sure I don't fall over."

"NO! NO! STOP THEM! DON'T LET THEM INTO THE CITY!" Myotismon shrieked as Dalton, Mia, Nate, Emerilla, and Lilac all began to escape. "We can't let the Devimon who are in the city to be…interrupted!"

"Death Hand!" one of the Devimon that was following Unimon managed to hit the Mythical Animal with his attack, making Lilac fall off her Digimon's back all the way down to the ground at Myotismon's feet. Several more Devimon joined in the attack on Unimon, until her wings finally gave out and she crashed into the park's forest.

"Pathetic humans," Myotismon grumbled, grabbing the unconscious Lilac by the shirt and picking her up. "If you value this girl's worthless life at all, you will come back and attempt to save her!"

"Oh, shit! Lekismon, we have to go back!" Emerilla shouted.

"I'm on it!" Lekismon said, instantly turning around. "Moon Night Kick!" Lekismon jumped and aimed a kick at Myotismon, but one of the Devimon jumped in front of the Ultimate and blocked the attack with his Death Hand attack, flinging Lekismon and Emerilla backward as Lekismon turned back into Lunamon.

"This may turn out to be better than I thought," Myotismon said, stepping over to Emerilla. "You two know of Shibumi, don't you?"

"Why do you care?!" Emerilla snapped as she and Lunamon stood up. Myotismon only grinned.

"See, the Yuggoth program isn't the only thing we're looking for; we figured – well, my Lord Astamon figured – that, if we could find someone who knows everything about Digimon, then we could use that knowledge to take over the Digital World! And who knows about us Digimon than someone who created us?"

"So that's why you sent all those Devimon into the city; you're sending them to search for Shibumi," Lunamon said.

"Not exactly; it's more like the Devimon are…rounding everyone in the city up and sending them to a destination of Lord Astamon's choosing. He figured those humans would be more likely to tell us everything they know about Shibumi's whereabouts if they're in fear for their life. And guess what? If any of those humans dares to oppose us, Lord Astamon has given me permission to end their wretched life in any way I see fit! Oh, it will be so much fun to see how many of those cowards will muster up the courage to fight against me, the Undead Digimon King!" Myotismon tossed Lilac to the ground at Emerilla's feet. "Now, what should I do with the two of you? Killing you outright would be no fun at all, and rather wasteful…"

"You're not going to hurt my friends! Lunar Claw!" Lunamon leaped up and just barely managed to scratch Myotismon's face before he smacked her away with the back of his right hand. The Devimon army laughed uncontrollably as the small Rookie hit the ground. Myotismon felt his face where Lunamon attacked him, and when he saw the blood on his fingers, an enraged look appeared on his face for a few seconds before becoming a twisted grin.

"Seeing this blood…it has given me quite the idea!" Myotismon laughed as he walked over to Emerilla, bending down to look her straight in the eyes. The frightened girl tried to back away from him, but a Devimon caught her and held her in place. "You see, I am a vampire Digimon, and as such, I quite enjoy the taste of blood," Myotismon grinned deviously as he licked the blood from his fingers. "It's quite simple for me to turn a Digimon into a Ghost species like myself, but will it work on a human?"

"No, don't! Please, turn me into a Ghost Digimon instead," Lunamon pleaded.

"Shut up!" a Devimon said, slamming his foot onto Lunamon's small body.

"Oh, to behold the sight of the moonlight glistening upon the blood running down your neck…how I long to see such a beautiful sight!" Myotismon grabbed Emerilla by the back of the neck, and the Devimon still held tight to her shoulders.

"No! Please, don't do it! I'll cooperate!" Emerilla protested, attempting to break free of the two Digimon's grips, but Myotismon ignored her. Just before Myotismon could sink his piercing fangs into Emerilla's neck, the ground shook with tremendous force.

"Damn it! Just when things were going so well, THIS guy has to show up?!" Myotismon snapped. "Devimon, retreat!" Myotismon ordered, and every last Devimon sank into the darkness of the forest as Myotismon thrust Emerilla to the ground before taking flight. "I said before killing you outright would be no fun, but I'm afraid there's been a slight change in plans; this Digimon here is nothing more than a mindless brute, refusing the orders of even Lord Astamon."

"What Digimon is it? It's so dark, I can't see it," Emerilla whispered.

"It's the worst Digimon there is…SkullGreymon," Lunamon said nervously at the sight of the enormous Digimon.

"Of course, there IS always the chance you might be able to defeat him; I think I'' stick around to see if that might be possible," Myotismon said, flying high above SkullGreymon. "Let's see how this plays out…"

"Lunamon, are you able to fight?" Emerilla asked.

"I don't think I have much of a choice," Lunamon said as she and Emerilla's Digivice began to glow. "Lunamon Digivolve to, Lekismon! Moon Night Bomb!"

"Dark Shot!" SkullGreymon launched the titanic missile from his back clear through Lekismon's attack. The missile struck the ground right where Lekismon was before she grabbed Lilac and Emerilla and jumped. The Champion landed on a rather large tree and placed the two girls on the sturdiest branch she could find before leaping back down to fight SkullGreymon.

"Be careful," Emerilla said softly, barely managing to talk.

"Tear Arrow!" Lekismon shot SkullGreymon in the face with an arrow, but the colossal Digimon didn't seem to notice as he launched another Dark Shot at Lekismon, this time managing to hit her, sending her flying backward before hitting a tree. The mindless Ultimate walked over to Lekismon, preparing to step on her before something small leaped and tackled him in the chest, making him fall over.

"What the hell?! What did that?! What COULD do that?!" Myotismon asked angrily.

"PlatinumSukamon?!" Lekismon asked in disbelief as she stood back up.

"If my friends is being attack, than I helps them!" PlatinumSukamon said angrily, glaring at the towering Ultimate, who had begun to stand up.

"PlatinumSukamon, how dare you betray us?!" Myotismon snarled.

"Wha…?" PlatinumSukamon stared blankly at Myotismon.

"You idiot! You were only supposed to PRETEND to be friends of the humans; you weren't supposed to actually do it!" PlatinumSukamon continued to stare blankly at Myotismon as more and more drool came pouring out his mouth. "Do you have any idea what you've done?! You traitorous piece of shit!" the expression on PlatinumSukamon's face didn't change as the puddle of drool he created grew bigger and bigger, until it surrounded him, Myotismon, and SkullGreymon without anyone's notice. "Fine! I'll deal with you later!" Myotismon snapped, and when he tried to take a step, he found he could not. "What the hell is this?! What's going on?! Why can't I walk?!"

"You stand in my drool," PlatinumSukamon said. "It stick to everything but me!"

"That's just plain disgusting," Myotismon said. "You bastard! Crimson Lightning!"

"Moon Night Kick!" Lekismon jumped and kicked Myotismon's wrist, preventing him from attacking PlatinumSukamon. With a loud cracking sound, SkullGreymon managed to free himself from PlatinumSukamon's drool.

"Excellent job, SkullGreymon!" Myotismon said with a laugh before a look of disgust crossed his face as soon as he saw that SkullGreymon's left arm had been torn off, left in the drool.

"Dark Shot!" SkullGreymon launched another missile that once again struck Lekismon. The missile then exploded, managing to free Myotismon, and PlatinumSukamon had somehow managed to avoid the attack.

"Thanks for the help," Myotismon snickered, once again taking flight as SkullGreymon stomped over to Lekismon.

"Lekismon!" Emerilla shouted. "Get up; SkullGreymon's coming!" Lekismon struggled to stand up, but was knocked back down by the advancing Ultimate. "There must be something I can do to help her!"

"Use the key," Lilac said suddenly.

"Lilac! How long have you been awake?" Emerilla gasped.

"Never mind that; just use your key," Lilac said.

"Of course; how could I have forgotten?!" Emerilla said as she got out the blue key she had received from Sanzomon, aiming it at her Digimon, who began to glow.

"Lekismon Digivolve to, Crescemon!"

"Damn it, now another one's reached the Ultimate level!" Myotismon snapped.

"Dark Shot!"

"Ice Archery!" the weapon in Crescemon's hands turned into a bowgun, which fired a large arrow made of ice at SkullGreymon's attack, making it explode midair before it could hit her. "Dark Archery!" SkullGreymon reached out with his right arm in an attempt to grab Crescemon, but before he could, Crescemon fired an arrow of darkness at SkullGreymon's right shoulder, making his other arm fall off as SkullGreymon unleashed a mighty roar. "Lunatic Dance!" Crescemon jumped up and slashed SkullGreymon across the face multiple times with her weapons, making his lower jaw fall to the ground.

"Not bad, Crescemon," Myotismon said. "But you spent all your time attacking that mindless brute when you ought to have concerned yourself with me!" Myotismon laughed evilly when he found the tree Crescemon had hidden Lilac and Emerilla. "The moment when your sweet blood enters my mouth cannot come soon enough!"

"Aerial Gallop!" Unimon suddenly flew through the trees and rammed her horn into Myotismon's left arm, making him fall to the ground on his back.

"Don't tell me a Champion Digimon did this to you." Myotismon instantly turned over and bowed on one knee to the Digimon who had spoken.

"I'm so sorry, my Lord Astamon! Please forgive me!" Myotismon whimpered. "I…I almost had them, but that Unimon took me by surprise, and –"

"Enough, Myotismon; I still find you to be a useful minion," Astamon said. "You, on the other hand," Astamon pointed his machine gun at SkullGreymon. "You failed to eliminate the intruder when I expected you to, so instead, you shall make me stronger! Hellfire!" Astamon shot SkullGreymon repeatedly, instantly turning him into data which Astamon absorbed. "You're next, Crescemon; Hellfire!"

* * *

"You must be Elecmon," Yamaki said calmly as the purple Elecmon approached him.

"Oh, so I'm famous, am I? Such an honor!" Elecmon said sarcastically. "Are you Yamaki?" Yamaki stayed silent as Elecmon held out his right hand. "Hand it over."

"Hand what over?" Yamaki asked.

"You know damn well why I'm here, human! Give me the Yuggoth program!"

"What if I don't have it anymore? What if I threw it away?"

"Don't give me that crap! A friend of mine heard the message you gave to the Digidestined; I know you still have it!"

"Ok, ok, you're right; I still have it," Yamaki said as he reached into his pocket. "Here you go!" Yamaki pulled out a gun and fired several shots at the Digimon, all of which missed.

"You shouldn't have done that, human," Elecmon snarled, bending down on all fours as his feathery tail expanded. "Jamming Thunder!" Elecmon released electricity from his tail that struck Yamaki in the chest, knocking him out and making him fall over. Elecmon walked over to him and reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a white flash drive with the word 'Yuggoth' written on it.


	41. Sakkakumon's Fear

"Hellfire!"

"Ice Archery!" Crescemon managed to attack Astamon before he could attack her, making him drop his gun. "Lunatic Dance!"

"Maverick!" Astamon kicked the air, sending a wave of darkness slamming onto Crescemon's body, making her fall over. Astamon picked up his gun and pointed it at the unconscious Ultimate. "Time to say goodbye, Crescemon."

"Aerial Attack!" Unimon fired a ball of energy from her mouth at Astamon's back, then quickly picked up Crescemon with her mouth and threw her on her back, flying away before Astamon could attack again. Without her notice, PlatinumSukamon grabbed onto her hind legs. "We have to get out of here!" Unimon shouted as she flew toward the tree Lilac and Emerilla were on.

"There's not going to be enough room for me," Emerilla said once Lilac had climbed onto Unimon's back.

"What are you saying?! I'm not leaving without you!" Lilac said.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine! Just get out of here and find the others!"

"But –"

"GO! I'll distract them long enough for you to get away!"

"Well, it doesn't look like we'll be able to change your mind, as usual," Unimon said solemnly as she flew away.

"Wait! Unimon! Go back and get her!"

"You know how Emerilla is; nothing in this world or the Digital World when she gets this way," Unimon said. Emerilla sighed in relief as she saw Unimon disappear, then gasped when she felt a clawed hand grab her arm.

"Didn't forget about me, did you?!" Myotismon said, and before Emerilla could scream, Myotismon had knocked her out cold.

* * *

"You're lost, aren't you…?" Dalton muttered.

"It's not MY fault I can't see in the dark as well as other Digimon!" Seadramon snapped. "Even with this full moon, I can barely what's right in front of me!"

"…Maybe we should land and wait until morning to continue…" Dalton said with a yawn.

"No way; when you fall asleep, it's almost impossible to wake you up! I'll just keep flying until –"

"Dalton, is that you?!" Mia said from on Darcmon's back.

"Yeah, it's me. Do you know where the others are?"

"I'm afraid we don't; we sort of lost sight of them when it got dark," Darcmon said.

"Well, let's stick together so we don't get separated again," Seadramon said as he continued to fly, followed closely by Darcmon.

* * *

"What would you like me to do with the girl?" Myotismon asked, holding Emerilla's limp body.

"Whatever you do, DON'T kill her; we may need her to find Shibumi," Astamon said, walking away. "And don't bite her, either."

"Astamon! My Lord Astamon!" Elecmon shouted excitedly, running toward the Ultimate.

"What do you want, Elecmon?" Astamon asked.

"I've found it! I've found the Yuggoth program!" Elecmon exclaimed, holding the white flash drive. Astamon smiled, taking the flash drive from Elecmon.

"You've done an amazing job, Elecmon."

* * *

"They're gone!" Tomoya said once he arrived at his house, then fell to his knees. "Mom and Dad…they must've been taken by the Devimon!"

"Don't worry, Tomoya; your parents knew Shibumi, so I'm sure they won't be killed," Candlemon said.

"Tomoya, is that you?!" Nate said as he and Agumon walked up behind the two of them.

Nate?! What are you doing in my house?!" Tomoya exclaimed.

"Agumon was hungry, so I thought I'd get him some bread from your parent's bakery," Nate said.

"You'd better pay us back for that…"

"Tomoya, am I the type of guy to borrow something without giving it back?"

"Yes!" Tomoya, Candlemon, and Agumon all said at the same time.

"Tomoya! Nate!" Lilac said from on top of Unimon's back as the Champion swooped down and landed on the ground. "Astamon…he's got Emerilla."

"What are you talking about?!" Nate asked.

"She tried to distract Astamon at the park long enough so that we could escape, but…I'm sure she's been captured by now," Lilac said sadly.

"All right, I'll go get her!" Tomoya shouted, running toward the park with Candlemon. "You guys wait here in case my parents come back!"

* * *

"Why did thee make the decision for us to come to this place?" Hawkmon asked.

"This is where Mr. Yamaki works, so this is definitely going to be where the Yuggoth program is. It would probably be a good idea to stay with him in case some of the Digimon in Astamon's army comes to see him," Theo said, running toward the Hypnos building.

"Thou art a genius of the highest caliber, my dear Theo," Hawkmon said, flying after his partner.

* * *

"Do you think maybe we ought to try looking for the Hypnos building?" Mia asked. Darcmon turned back into Salamon and they were both riding on Seadramon's back.

"Are you crazy? In this darkness, I'll be lucky if I can distinguish the sky from the ground!" Seadramon snapped.

"It's not that dark," Dalton said. "I can still see my hand in front of my face."

"Well, I can't!"

"You don't have hands, Seadramon," Salamon said dryly.

"…I knew that…is…is it getting brighter?" Seadramon asked.

"Yeah, I noticed that too," Mia said.

"It shouldn't be; it's almost midnight!" Dalton said.

"Guys, there's a Digimon nearby," Salamon said, the hair on the back of her neck standing straight up. "It's a really powerful one, too…"

"Maybe it's the one making it brighter," Mia suggested.

"In that case, I suggest we keep it alive!" Seadramon said, and suddenly, an evil laughter filled the air, and suddenly, it was dark again. Even the moon seemed to fade away.

"Salamon Digivolve to, Darcmon! Shine Barrier!" Darcmon's staff lit up, as she began to look around for the Digimon.

"What's wrong? Are you unable to find me?" the voice seemed to come from every direction. "I can hear your heart beating, you know; as soon as you heard my voice, its speed went up, and you began breathing harder. What's the matter? Are you, perhaps, scared?" Darcmon swung her sword as hard as she could. "It'll take more than that to hurt me…that is, if you can ever find me…"

"Where is that freak?!" Seadramon asked angrily.

"Right behind you!" the voice said, startling Seadramon enough from him to use his Ice Blast attack, which managed to hit something that looked like an eye. "Thank you for this wonderful gift, Seadramon."

"Who are you?!" Seadramon asked, but the voice ignored him.

"What's wrong, Darcmon? Are you…shivering?" the voice asked mockingly. "It's not that cold, so you must be quite afraid."

"Dancing Sword!" Darcmon swung her sword again, hitting nothing once more, making the voice laugh.

"Poor scared little woman; if you're this afraid of me, how could you ever hope to defeat me?"

"S–shut up! I know who you are, Sakkakumon!" Darcmon shouted, and suddenly, it became almost as bright as day.

"Just because you know of my identity does not ensure victory," Sakkakumon said.

"Just come out where I can see you!" Darcmon yelled. "WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"Right behind you." Darcmon turned around and attempted to hit the colossal Digimon with her sword. "Ice Blast Reflection!" Sakkakumon copied Seadramon's attack, firing a blast of ice from his mouth, hitting Darcmon's sword arm. He then rammed into her, making her fall to the ground while turning back into Salamon. Seadramon looked up at the massive Digimon, who only grinned at the Champion's fear. "The fate of all those who dares to oppose me is no different."

"Well, this time it will be different! Ice Blast!"

"Shine Barrier!" Sakkakumon's head began to glow as he copied Darcmon's attack, creating a protective barrier around himself. "Dancing Sword!" Sakkakumon's spheres began to rotate until one of the eyes was aimed right at Seadramon, which fired a sword from it, striking the Champion across the face.

"Seadramon, are you ok?!" Dalton shouted.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Seadramon said weakly.

"You're the only one who can defeat Sakkakumon; just focus and try to find his weakness."

"My weakness," Sakkakumon said with a laugh. "My sole weakness is this center orb; the one with the pattern on it."

"Why are you telling us?" Mia asked.

"It doesn't matter if you know or not; you'll never be strong enough to defeat me even if you hit it with your strongest attack!"

"He's right, Dalton; if I attack him, he'll only use that Shine Barrier to protect himself," Seadramon said.

"Well, I'm not giving up hope just yet, and neither should you!" Dalton said. "There's still one more thing for us to try!" Dalton pulled out the yellow key given to him by Sanzomon, which he pointed at his Digimon, who began to glow. "Are you ready, Seadramon?!"

"If you're willing, I'll do anything, Dalton! Seadramon Digivolve to, MegaSeadramon!"

"All right; it worked!" Dalton exclaimed.

"You don't look worried in the slightest, Sakkakumon," MegaSeadramon said.

"What reason is there for fear? It does nothing more than distract us from the enjoyable aspects of our lives," Sakkakumon said.

"Well, I'd say it's about time you experienced fear for the first time in your life; Lightning Javelin!" the horn on MegaSeadramon's head unleashed a powerful blast of electricity at the center sphere on Sakkakumon's body, instantly killing him, turning him into data which MegaSeadramon absorbed. Sakkakumon died with the same grin on his face.

"Good job, MegaSeadramon!" Dalton exclaimed.

"It was easier than he made it out to be," MegaSeadramon said as Dalton and Mia, who held on tight to Salamon, climbed on his back. "Is Salamon going to be ok?"

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Salamon said weakly.

* * *

"This is a pretty large building; I hope Mr. Yamaki is still here," Theo said.

"If we were able to enter through open doors, someone ought to be here," Hawkmon suggested. "What is troubling you now?" Hawkmon asked when Theo stopped walking.

"Someone's unconscious over there," Theo said, running over to the person. "Mr. Yamaki!"

"It seems as though a vile Digimon in the army of Astamon has attacked him," Hawkmon muttered.

"Is he going to be ok?!" Theo asked.

"I'll be fine," Yamaki said weakly as he tried to stand up.

"Don't move; you'll make it hurt more," Theo said.

"How can I stay lying down when Astamon has the Yuggoth program?" Yamaki asked, reaching into his coat pocket.

"They have it?!"

"I was attacked by Elecmon, and when I wouldn't give it to him, he knocked me unconscious and stole it," Yamaki said, holding his head in pain.

* * *

"The Yuggoth program has been successfully installed," Astamon said happily, holding up his gun, which had the Yuggoth flash drive in it.

"That's wonderful, My Lord!" Elecmon said happily.

"Now all I need is to test it out; if only I hadn't killed SkullGreymon so soon…" Astamon lamented, and then turned to look at Elecmon.

"Is there a problem, master?" Elecmon asked just as Astamon aimed his gun at the little Rookie.

"Master…w– what are you doing?" Elecmon asked nervously.

"You heard what I said; I need to test this new power out to make sure it works!"

"Master, please…you can't! I was the one who gave it to you! I've loyally served you ever since I joined your army!" Elecmon begged. "Why don't you kill PlatinumSukamon? From what I've heard, he's turned traitor!"

"I guess I could kill him," Astamon pondered. "But I don't know where he is, whereas you are right here in front of me." Elecmon turned around and began to run away. "Yuggoth Hellfire!" the bullets in Astamon's gun had turned into miniature versions of the Yuggoth (three spheres linked together by an energy chain) as he repeatedly shot the purple Elecmon, killing him before he even had a chance to scream in pain as he turned back into data which Astamon absorbed before he began laughing maniacally. "This power…it's better than I could have ever dreamed about!"

* * *

"I know Tomoya told us to wait here, but I really think we ought to have gone with him," Lilac said remorsefully.

"There's not much we can do about it; what if his parents had returned, and one of Astamon's lackeys showed up?" Nate asked.

"Who are you calling a lackey?!"

"That voice…it's Myotismon!" Lilac shouted.

"I am so honored that you remembered me, my dear," Myotismon said condescendingly.

"What have you done with Emerilla?!" Nate asked angrily.

"Don't worry; she still draws breath. But it's your own lives you ought to be concerned with!" Myotismon shouted, whistling, and suddenly, two large Digimon flew down from the sky. "You are familiar with Devidramon, I've heard."

"This time, you don't have that little idiot around to–" Devidramon stopped talking when he saw PlatinumSukamon sitting on the ground, staring at him. Devidramon grunted. "This is my friend, JewelBeemon," Devidramon motioned toward the green insect beside him.

"I'm really only here because I want to see Devidramon be tackled to the ground by that little one," JewelBeemon laughed.

"SHUT UP!" Devidramon roared.

"Agumon, Digivolve!" Nate shouted.

"I'm on it! Agumon Digivolve to, Tyrannomon! Blaze –"

"Crimson Claw!" Devidramon slashed Tyrannomon across the face with his razor-sharp claws, making him fall to the ground.

"Unimon, you should Digivolve," Lilac said, pointing her key at the Champion Digimon.

"Unimon Digivolve to, Mammothmon!"

"Spike Buster!" JewelBeemon's javelin unleashed a wave of electricity at Mammothmon, making her collapse to the ground.

"Let me end things here before that little runt decides to intervene," Devidramon said, placing his sharp claw on Tyrannomon's neck just as PlatinumSukamon rammed into Devidramon's chest, making him crash into Tomoya's house.

"Wow, that was pretty funny," JewelBeemon said, chuckling.

"You've humiliated me for the last time; Crimson Claw!" Devidramon swatted the Mutant Digimon off his chest with his claw, making him fall face down on the ground.

"Kill the traitor!" Myotismon hollered.

"Tusk Crusher!" Mammothmon launched her tusks at JewelBeemon and Devidramon, which exploded on impact.

"Devidramon, JewelBeemon, retreat!" Myotismon suddenly shouted, and the two Digimon flew away. "The master has successfully obtained the Yuggoth program, so there really isn't any need for us to be here. I had come for the little traitor," Myotismon pointed at PlatinumSukamon. "But, it really isn't worth the energy trying to fight you guys to get to him, so until next time!" Myotismon laughed while flying away.

"What does he mean by 'traitor'?" Nate asked.

"I don't know for sure, but I think I overheard Myotismon saying earlier that PlatinumSukamon and Chuumon were only supposed to pretend to be our friends," Lilac said.

"If that's true, then…why is he still helping us?"


	42. The Return of Arkadimon

"PlatinumSukamon, why are you helping us?" Lilac asked. "Chuumon is still working for Astamon, so why aren't you?"

"Me was ordered to be friends with you," PlatinumSukamon asked.

"You were ordered to pretend to be our allies in order to find where Yuggoth was, and you've apparently done that already. So why are you still here?" Tapirmon asked. The blank look on PlatinumSukamon's face remained unchanged.

"Listen, we just want to know if you're planning on betraying us again!" Nate shouted, picking up the Champion.

"Wait," Lilac said softly, walking up to Nate. "I don't think he betrayed us in the first place; it could just be that he simply forgot which side he was supposed to be on."

"What if he's smarter than he looks?" Tapirmon asked.

"That would take a miracle," Agumon said.

"Well, you shouldn't be too hard on him," Lilac said quietly.

"Why not?! He may still be working for Astamon!" Nate said, dropping PlatinumSukamon on purpose (accidentally on his foot, though.)

"No…I honestly believe that he is one of our friends," Lilac said, gently picking up PlatinumSukamon. "Besides, he received a serious injury helping us fight that Devidramon. Look," Lilac turned him around to show Nate there were three deep scratches across the left side of his body with small pieces of data flowing out of them every now and then.

"Ok…I believe you," Nate admitted quietly.

"Tapirmon…is there anything we can do to help him?" Lilac asked.

"A wound that deep is nearly impossible to recover from, I'm afraid," Tapirmon said sadly.

"I be ok," PlatinumSukamon said. "I still help you fight…those mean guys."

"Lilac! Nate!" Tomoya shouted, running back to his house with Candlemon. "What…the hell happened here?!" Tomoya asked when he saw his house.

"Yeah, sorry about that…it kind of got destroyed when a couple of Digimon showed up," Nate said nervously.

"Tomoya, Astamon has the Yuggoth program," Lilac said.

"He WHAT?!"

"I don't know how, but one of his minions – the same one that took Emerilla – said that he had gotten it," Tapirmon said.

"I think we ought to go to the Hypnos building," Tomoya said.

"What? Why there?!" Nate asked.

"I'm getting a faint Digivice signal from that direction," Tomoya said, looking at his Digivice. "That might be where Astamon is."

"If that's true, then there's no way we're letting you go alone!" Nate said.

"But, what my parents –"

"Don't worry about them; they've known about Digimon longer than you have, so I'm sure they'll be fine!"

"Ok, fine; let's go!" Tomoya said as he and Candlemon ran down the street in the direction of the Hypnos building, followed closely by Nate, Lilac (who was still holding PlatinumSukamon), and their Digimon (Agumon had Digivolved to Tyrannomon and was carrying the unconscious body of Crescemon.)

* * *

"What does it mean when your Digivice makes that beeping noise?" Yamaki asked.

"It means that someone else with a Digivice is nearby!" Theo said, looking at his own Digivice to determine where the other was, soon coming to a closet, and, when he opened the door, Emerilla came falling down on him. "Emerilla, what were you doing in there?"

"Myotismon placed me in there when I wouldn't tell him anything about Shibumi," Emerilla said, standing up.

"Shibumi? Where is he?" Yamaki asked.

"I honestly have no idea; last I heard, he was taken to the Digital World by a Digimon called Phelesmon, but that was apparently untrue," Emerilla said. "So, where are we?"

"This is the Hypnos building," Theo said.

"I'm afraid I let you all down," Yamaki said solemnly. "One of Astamon's minions…took the Yuggoth program from me."

"Oh no…."

"Theo, more carriers of the Digivice have arrived!" Hawkmon exclaimed as Tomoya, Lilac, Nate, and their Digimon approached the building.

"There is a large basement underneath this building," Yamaki said. "The Devimon have taken everyone in the city there in hopes of finding Shibumi. I'm sure all of your parents are there, too."

"Yamaki, if it's not too much trouble, would you mind going down there and gather up everyone who was involved with the Digimon twenty years ago?" Theo asked. "I'm sure we could use their help right now."

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Yamaki said, running as fast as he could down the stairs to the basement as Theo, Hawkmon, and Emerilla ran toward the entrance of the building to meet up with Tomoya, Nate, and Lilac.

"Emerilla, are you ok? That Myotismon didn't hurt you, did he?!" Lilac asked.

"Don't worry, I'm ok," Emerilla said reassuringly. "What's wrong with Crescemon?"

"She's still unconscious from Astamon's attack," Lilac said sadly.

"So, what's been going on over here?" Nate asked.

"Well, Astamon managed to get his slimy hands on the Yuggoth program, and the army of Devimon rounded up everyone in the city and stashed them in Hypnos's basement," Emerilla said.

"Well, we've got to go save them!" Tomoya shouted.

"The least you could do is wait for us!" Dalton said from on top of MegaSeadramon's head. The enormous Ultimate turned back into Betamon as Dalton, Mia, and Salamon jumped off his back.

"Good, you are all here," a Digimon said, flying on a broomstick above them.

"Who are you?" Tomoya asked. "Are you in Astamon's army?"

"My name is Witchmon. As for being in Astamon's army…well, you'll have to decide that on your own."

"What do you mean?" Theo asked, but Witchmon ignored him, and instead landed on the ground beside Crescemon.

"She was attacked by Astamon…" Witchmon said sadly.

"Why do you care?" Emerilla asked as Witchmon snapped her fingers, and instantly, Crescemon jumped to her feet. "H–how did you do that?!"

"I'm a witch, aren't I? Now, go; Astamon is on the very top of this building. Destroy him before he has the chance to take another innocent life." With that, Witchmon flew away.

"…Should we believe her?" Mia asked.

"Now would be quite a good time to attack Astamon, now that all of us are here," Theo said.

"Let's go; what's the worst thing that could happen?" Nate asked as all the humans and Digimon, including PlatinumSukamon, walked into the Hypnos building.

"I've found them, Theo," Yamaki said, breathing heavily. "Everyone who was involved with the Digimon twenty years ago."

"Mom! Dad! You're both ok!" Tomoya said happily, running up to Takato and Jeri as Lilac and Emerilla ran up to their parents.

"Of course we are!" Takato said happily.

"You should've seen your mother when those Devimon broke into our house; she had one pinned to the ground!" Ryo said with a laugh.

"I would have loved to have seen that!" Emerilla said excitedly.

"Mom…Dad…I'm glad you two are ok," Lilac said shyly.

"Of course we're fine; we've got you and your Digimon looking out for us, remember?" Alice asked.

"Look who else is here," Henry said.

"Aunt Suzie! What are you doing here? I thought you were out of town," Lilac said happily.

"I've just got bad timing, I suppose; I was coming to pay you and your brother a visit when those Digimon captured me," Suzie said.

"I also managed to find…these two," Yamaki said.

"Kazu and Kenta! I haven't seen you guys in a while!" Takato said happily.

"Takato…dude, what's going on?" Kenta asked.

"Is there another giant pig going on a rampage?" Kenta asked.

"No; unfortunately, it's much worse than that," Jeri said.

"It's more like an entire army's here," Ryo said.

"Well, I figured that when I saw the Devimon," Kazu said.

"I hate to interrupt all of this, but…Astamon's on top of this building," Theo said.

"Astamon? Who's that?" Kazu asked.

"This is him right here," Kenta said, holding up a Digimon card.

"WHAT?! You had a card this rare all this time, and you didn't tell me?!" Kazu asked angrily.

"Well, if I had told you, you would've taken it from me," Kenta said, putting the card back in his pocket.

"Mark my words, Kenta Kitagawa; I will steal that card from you if I have to do it through honest hard work!" Kazu glared at Kenta.

"Will you two shut up?! These children are about to fight one of the strongest Digimon in existence!" Rika shouted.

"I'm glad to see some things don't change," Jeri said happily.

"You seem awfully relaxed about this whole situation," Takato said.

"Of course I am, because there's no need to worry; Tomoya and the others will beat Astamon, no problem!"

"Is everybody ready to go to the roof?" Yamaki asked. "At this time of night, the only entrance is locked, but I have a key to open it." Everyone nodded. "All right then, it's this way." Yamaki led everyone to a closed door, and unlocked it so they could all go to the roof.

"I'm pleased that you've all made it here," Astamon said. "I was growing bored of waiting; I need someone stronger than that Elecmon to use as target practice!"

"Astamon, you're going to pay for everything that you've done!" Tomoya shouted angrily.

"Am I, now? How amusing. Do you know what I have right here? My weapon has been officially powered up by the Yuggoth program; and Digimon shot by it has their data stripped away before they can even call for help! The only thing that I need now is Shibumi, who seems to possess all of the knowledge of the Digital World! And you humans are going to help me find him!"

"Why should we?!" Nate asked.

"I believe I just told you," Astamon sneered, pointing his gun at Nate. "Now, where is Shibumi?"

"They don't know, but I do." Astamon's eyes narrowed with rage when he heard the voice behind him, and when he turned around, he saw none other than Arkadimon standing in front of one of his portals with the black-hooded Phantomon hovering beside him.

"Arkadimon! Where is Shibumi?!" Astamon shouted, and Arkadimon began to laugh.

"I'm surprised you don't already know, brother."

"Don't you dare call me your brother ever again, you traitorous bastard! Where the hell is Shibumi?!"

"Is that how you ask someone for assistance? Well, I'll tell you anyway; Shibumi used to be in your castle for quite a while, brother; long before Phelesmon died. However, a few days ago, a good friend of mine came and…took him off my hands."

"Yuggoth Hellfire!" Astamon aimed his gun at Arkadimon, but before he could shoot him, Arkadimon and Phantomon disappeared back into the portal. "Damn it!" Astamon ran into the portal after him.

"…What do we do now?" Nate asked.

"I'm going back to the Digital World; I can't let that monster back into this world!" Tomoya shouted.

"Well, if that's the case, then I'm coming with you, son," Takato said.

"Is this about Guilmon?" Tomoya asked.

"Guilmon was my best friend; of course I want to see him again," Takato said.

"Then I'm going too," Henry said.

"And me!" Rika said.

"All right, let's go before the portal closes!" Tomoya said, running into Arkadimon's portal with Candlemon.

"Hey, what about the rest of us?!" Kenta asked.

"We'll look for your partners too, don't worry," Henry said before jumping into the portal.

"And we'll make sure to give both those Digimon a good beating!" Rika said, following Henry.

"We'll be back soon, Jeri," Takato said. "And when we come back, I'll have Guilmon and Calumon with me!"

"I know you will, Takato," Jeri said. "Just be careful while you're there, ok?"

"Don't worry; have you ever known me to be reckless?"

"Well, actually, there was that time when –"

"I can't hear you! This portal's too loud!" Takato shouted as he jumped into the portal. Jeri shook her head, but smiled.

"Man, it sure will be great to see Guardromon again!" Kazu said.

"I wonder how MarineAngemon's doing? I'm sure he's fine; after all, he is a MEGA Digimon, after all!" Kenta boasted.

"Leomon…if only you could see my son right now," Jeri said quietly. "You'd be so proud of him; he truly has a lion's heart."


	43. Reunion

"Arkadimon!" Astamon yelled as he ran through his younger brother's portal back into his castle. "Arkadimon, where the hell are you, you wretched slime?!" Astamon yelled as he ran down the corridor he had arrived in until he disappeared around a corner.

"Thanks for hiding me, Phantomon," Arkadimon whispered once he was sure Astamon had disappeared.

"Think nothing of it, sir," Phantomon said modestly. "Are there any other matters you'd like for me to attend to at the moment?"

"Once those humans arrive here," Arkadimon said after a moment's thought, "I'd like for you to escort them to where I have imprisoned their Digimon and, if necessary, help them free their Digimon partners."

"Yes sir, Lieutenant Colonel Arkadimon," Phantomon said.

"I've always liked you, Phantomon; you are diligent, loyal, and above all, you remember to call me Lieutenant Colonel," Arkadimon said as he turned around to leave.

"If you don't mind me asking, sir, why do you wish to be called 'Lieutenant Colonel?'" Phantomon asked.

"To be perfectly honest, I believe it makes me sound cooler, don't you agree?" Arkadimon asked with a laugh as he ran down the corridor after Astamon. Not long after he disappeared, Henry, Rika, Takato, Tomoya, and Candlemon stepped out of Arkadimon's portal into the castle.

"Yeah, this is definitely Astamon's castle," Candlemon said.

"Welcome back, partners of the imprisoned Digimon," Phantomon said courteously.

"You're one of Arkadimon's minions!" Tomoya said, holding up his Digivice.

"Please, I mean you know harm anymore; my Lord, the Lieutenant Colonel Arkadimon, has requested that I escort you to your imprisoned Digimon partners," Phantomon said calmly as he pointed at Takato, Henry, and Rika with his scythe.

"You mean…our Digimon partners are here in this castle?!" Takato asked.

"That is correct. Please, follow me," Phantomon said as he hovered down the corridor the opposite direction Arkadimon had gone.

"What if he's leading us into a trap?" Rika asked.

"We can't afford to take the chance of distrusting him," Henry said as he began to follow Phantomon. "Besides, if he is, we'll always have Candlemon to help us out, right?"

"Of course!" Candlemon said enthusiastically as he and Tomoya followed Henry.

"Why am I the only one here who thinks things through?!" Rika said, completely annoyed.

"They're all thinking ahead; we'll need the help of all of our Digimon partners to stop that Astamon," Takato said as he and Rika followed Tomoya. After about five minutes of following the black-hooded Phantomon down some stairs, the Ultimate Digimon led them to a door.

"Beyond this door is where all of your partner Digimon lie in wait for you," Phantomon said, using his scythe to cut through the rather old-looking door, allowing everyone to enter the room as he proceeded to lead them toward a large cage in the opposite end of the room.

"How could you do this to them?!" Henry asked angrily as he looked through the bars of the cage at the unconscious Digimon.

"It was not my decision, nor was it Arkadimon's," Phantomon said as he hacked away at the cage's door. "It was all Astamon's planning; my Lord Arkadimon only did this as part of his plan to fully gain Astamon's trust so that he may betray him at an opportune moment."

"He's a little late; Astamon has already gotten the Yuggoth program," Tomoya said.

"He hadn't anticipated Astamon getting it as soon as he did, or even at all; the only reason he waited as long as he did was so a very good friend of his could come and get the human you all know as Shibumi," Phantomon said, and with one final swing of his scythe, Phantomon managed to break the door of the cage.

"What's wrong with them; are they all right?!" Henry asked as he ran into the cage to pick up Terriermon.

"They will be fine; they have merely lost the strength to stay conscious at the moment," Phantomon said, backing away from the cage so Takato and Rika could enter and find their Digimon.

"Guilmon, wake up! Please; it's me, Takato!" Takato shouted, shaking the large Rookie. After a few more seconds, Guilmon finally began to slowly open his eyes, which then shot open once he saw Tomoya.

"Takatomon! You're back! I knew you'd come back to play with me again!" Guilmon shouted as he leaped on top of Tomoya, making him fall over

"Guilmon, I'm over here," Takato said, trying not to laugh.

"Oh, sorry," Guilmon said as he climbed off of Tomoya and jumped onto Takato, making him fall over as well. "I kept telling the others we'd see you all again because Takatomon always keeps his promises, but they stopped believing me after a while!"

"That's only because you kept saying it every five minutes," Terriermon said happily, being held tightly by Henry.

"Even MarineAngemon began to get annoyed by it," Renamon said as Rika helped her stand up.

"Is everyone ok?" Henry asked as the other Digimon woke up.

"Oh, yeah, we're fine; we haven't been attacked for about two months," Terriermon said, jumping out of Henry's arms and leaping up on top of his partner's head.

"We're mostly just exhausted from not having moved much since we've been captured, and not much room to move around in," Renamon said.

"You should've seen the look on Terriermon's face when he learned he'd be sharing this cage with Cyberdramon," Calumon said, leaping into Rika's arms. "They stayed on opposite sides of the cage for two whole weeks!"

"So, what's your point? You were the one who hid behind me because you thought he was going to eat you!" Terriermon said.

"I'm not that scary!" Cyberdramon said dejectedly. "Am I?"

"Nope, not scary!" MarineAngemon said cheerfully.

"As good as it is to see you three again, where is Kazu?" Guardromon asked.

"He's waiting for you to come back, and so are Kenta, Ryo, Jeri, and Suzie," Henry said.

"I can't wait to see Suzie again," Lopmon said happily.

"Where's Impmon?" Takato asked.

"He's in your world as a member of Astamon's army," Phantomon said. "He joined the army under the threat that everyone here would be killed if he didn't."

"We tried to stop him, but he said he didn't want to be responsible for anyone else's death, so he left with Astamon when he captured us over two months ago, and we haven't seen him since," Renamon said.

"It's funny; I'm not used to Impmon being so nice," Calumon said.

"Oh, Takato, I can't wait to have some Guilmon bread when we go back to your world!" Guilmon said. "Can it have peanut butter filling? Please!"

"Don't worry, Guilmon; I'll make you all the bread or cream puffs or anything you want!" Takato said, hugging his Digimon partner. "By the way, this is my son, Tomoya!"

"Wow! You look just like Takatomon! Nice to meet you!" Guilmon said, vigorously shaking Tomoya's hand.

"I honestly hate to interrupt this happy reunion," Phantomon said. "But Astamon could be on his way down here as we speak. You all ought to go back to your own world before he finds you."

"It's too late for that!" Astamon shouted from the broken door.

"You're going to pay for locking me in a cage with Cyberdramon!" Terriermon shouted, jumping off of Henry's head, but Astamon ignored him as he was glaring at Phantomon. He strode past the other Digimon, who were now all out of the cage, and walked right up to Phantomon.

"I take it you still have yet to find Arkadimon," Phantomon said smugly.

"I don't need to search for him; I'll make him come to me!" Astamon snarled, grinning evilly.

"Get back to the portal, everyone; it's a straightforward path to get to it!" Phantomon shouted quickly.

"Maverick!" Astamon kicked Phantomon in the chest, slamming him into the cage behind. Astamon walked over and picked up the unconscious body of the small Ultimate and walked out of the room.

"Should we help Phantomon or not?" Terriermon asked. "He did lock us all in here, but he did feed us all every day, and he led you four to us, so…"

"I say we help him!" Takato said.

"I agree with Takato!" Guilmon said as he and his partner ran out of the room.

"There he goes again," Rika lamented.

"Don't feel too bad; I like that about him," Renamon said as she, Rika, and the other left the room, following Astamon.

"So, Beelzemon's been in our world this entire time," Tomoya said.

"Tomoya, are you sure you want me to –"

"Of course I'm sure; you heard what he did to Leomon, didn't you?" Tomoya asked angrily.

"Well, yeah, but…he seems like kind of a nice guy, so I thought –"

"Candlemon, I won't tolerate any second thoughts. Either you do as I ask, or I'll do it myself."

"When you say it that way, I guess I don't really have any choice…" Candlemon said sadly as he hopped up the stairs after Tomoya.

* * *

"Arkadimon!" Astamon bellowed from in front of Arkadimon's portal, still clutching the unconscious body of Phantomon by the neck. "I have in my hand your favorite and most loyal servant! If you refuse to show yourself, I will personally destroy him and use the data I absorb from him to kill you with my bare hands!"

"You were always a convincing speaker, brother," Arkadimon said from behind Astamon. Astamon turned around and tossed Phantomon to the ground at Arkadimon's feet. "Phantomon, are you ok?!"

"You would lament over a mere servant?! How pathetic!" Astamon snarled.

"This is precisely why I betrayed you, brother; a maniacal tyrant who kills all his servants has no right to rule the Digital World! To successfully rule this place, you need the help of subordinates, friends, and allies, whom you use only as pawn!" Arkadimon shouted, picking up Phantomon.

"A strong ruler has no need for allies, or anything of the sort!" Astamon said, pointing his gun at Arkadimon. "Tell me where Shibumi is, or I will murder you and you dearest pawn right now!"

"PHANTOMON IS NOT A PAWN!" Arkadimon yelled, just at Takato, Guilmon and the others ran into the narrow corridor behind Astamon. "Freeze Tentacle!" Holding Phantomon in his left arm, Arkadimon pointed his right hand at Astamon as his claws extended, striking Astamon in the left shoulder, but Astamon didn't even wince as he slammed his gun on his brother's claw, shattering them, making Arkadimon howl in pain.

"Such a foolish Digimon has no right to call himself the ruler of the Digital World," Astamon said as Arkadimon fell to the ground. "Yuggoth Hellfire!" Before Astamon could attack, Phantomon hovered out of Arkadimon's arm and in front of him, taking the full force of Astamon's attack, killing him before he even had a chance to scream. Astamon's attack also managed to hit Arkadimon, but unlike the others before him, his data was stripped away slower, prolonging the agony of his death until he completely disappeared as his and Phantomon's data were absorbed by Astamon. "Strange; didn't exactly expect a slow death for you, Arkadimon," Astamon said. "Well, just so long as you're dead, I'm happy." Astamon walked into the portal created by Arkadimon and returned to the human world.

"Come on, Terriermon, we've got to stop Astamon before he hurts anyone else!" Henry shouted.

"I'm right behind you!" Terriermon said from on top of Henry's head as Henry and everyone else ran into the portal, which disappeared completely once everyone left. Before the portal closed, nobody noticed the small amount of Arkadimon's data floating in the air that Astamon had failed to absorb.

* * *

"I don't need Shibumi's help to rule the Digital World; with this much power, I could destroy even the Sovereigns!" Astamon laughed as he walked out from Arkadimon's portal on top of Hypnos to find Beelzemon standing in front of him. "Hello, Beelzemon; I thank you for all your hard work and effort you put into this search." Beelzemon sighed. "What's the matter? Are you bored? Perhaps you could kill those humans over there," Astamon pointed at Nate and the others.

"I'm not killing anyone," Beelzemon said.

"That sentence in itself could get your friends all killed! Is that what you want?!" Astamon shouted. "Now, do as I say and kill those foolish Digidestined!"

"My friends are no longer in danger," Beelzemon said with a smile as Takato and the others emerged from Arkadimon's portal. "Now that all my friends are safe from you, I can do this without regret; Double Impact!" Beelzemon retrieved the shotgun holstered on his leg and shot Astamon directly in the chest. As Astamon began to fall backward, Devidramon instantly flew over and picked him up, carrying him away from Beelzemon.

"Uncle Astamon! Are you ok?!" Dracmon from on top of Devidramon's head asked once Devidramon placed the near-unconscious Astamon on his back.

"Dracmon…" Astamon choked out as blood came seeping from his mouth. "Come a little…closer…"

"Yes, Uncle? What is –" Dracmon was interrupted when Astamon pulled a small knife from his sleeve before shoving it into the small Rookie's neck. "Uncle…please, stop!"

"Don't you want to…help your beloved Uncle?" Astamon asked as he moved it across Dracmon's neck, instantly killing the small Rookie, turning him into data which Astamon absorbed and, as soon as he did, the wound created by Beelzemon's attack instantly closed up. "Devidramon…take me to the cave. I need some time to rest…"

* * *

"Beelzemon, it's good to see you again!" Takato said happily.

"Yes, thank you for your help," Renamon said.

"I'm glad I was able to be here so I could do it," Beelzemon smiled.

"Takato," Jeri said tearfully as Calumon jumped into her arms. "I'm glad you came back safely," Jeri said as she hugged the little Digimon.

"Jeri, I missed you so much!" Calumon said happily.

"Kazu!" Guardromon shouted.

"Guardromon, how's it going, dude?!" Kazu said, fist-bumping the Champion.

"MarineAngemon!" Kenta sobbed as he hugged the small Mega.

"Ryo, it's good to see you again," Cyberdramon growled as his partner walked up to him.

"Well, gee, try not to pass out with excitement, buddy!" Ryo laughed.

"Ryo, I'm not…scary, am I?" Cyberdramon asked.

"I don't think so, but a little kid or Digimon might," Ryo said.

"Lopmon! Terriermon! You're back!" Suzie exclaimed, hugging both Rookies as tightly as ever.

"I've almost missed not being able to breathe like this," Lopmon sighed happily.

"Jeri…" Beelzemon walked over to Jeri, who was still hugging Calumon.

"Hello, Beelzemon! I've missed you, too!" Jeri said happily.

"Jeri, I…I'm sorry…"

"Beelzemon, I've already forgiven you! You risked your life trying to save me, and we're friends now!" Jeri smiled.

"Thank you, Jeri…" Beelzemon sobbed as he wiped his eyes with the back of his arm.

"How long were we in the Digital World?" Takato asked as he looked at the sky.

"It's almost 8:30 in the morning! You had us waiting on this roof for hours!" Emerilla said snottily.

"Sorry about that," Rika said.

"Ryo, what is this thing?" Guardromon asked, looking at a camera.

"Well, while you were gone, these reporters came up here, having noticed the fight between our Digimon, Devidramon, and JewelBeemon," Nate said.

"I've taken the liberty to explain to them that every Digimon up here is non-threatening and, without them, the evil Digimon would have already lost the war we're in," Yamaki said.

"Are the cameras on?" Terriermon asked, and one of the cameramen nodded. "All right; I'm famous!"

"Candlemon, are you ready?" Tomoya whispered, and Candlemon sadly nodded as they both walked up to Beelzemon. "Beelzemon." The Mega Digimon turned around and smiled when he saw Tomoya.

"You must be Takato's kid, right? You look just like him," Beelzemon said.

"My mother may have forgiven you for what you've done, but that is beyond me; I will never forgive you for what you did to her!" Tomoya shouted, and Beelzemon stopped smiling.

"Yes…I understand. Even today, I'm surprised she was able to find it in her heart to forgive me for killing Leomon. I have rightfully earned every ounce of your hatred, and every other negative emotion you feel against me. All I can say is…I'm sorry. I'm sorry I did that to your mother." Tomoya couldn't speak, and looked straight down at the roof of Hypnos.

"Now, Candlemon."

"Candlemon Warp Digivolve to, Mistymon!" the Ultimate Digimon landed behind Beelzemon and pointed his flaming sword at the Mega.

"Tomoya, what are you doing?!" Jeri asked. "I've forgiven him, so you don't have to –"

"Now!" Tomoya shouted.

"Blast Fire!" Mistymon's sword shot flames at Beelzemon's back.

"Tomoya, stop him!" Nate yelled angrily.

"There's nothing that can be done," Renamon said.

"Have you gone crazy in the last twenty years?! Of course we have to stop them!" Rika shouted.

"Ever since Tomoya has learned the truth, the anger within him has only built up, and now that he's had his Digimon Digivolve to fight the one he hates more than anything else, Mistymon now feels that rage as well," Renamon said sorrowfully. "Don't worry; Beelzemon's not in danger, nor will he attack back. He won't want to harm another ally." Mistymon leapt through the air and swung his sword across Beelzemon's chest, making him fall to his knees.

"Your Digimon is right; the best thing we can do now is to let them get it out of their system," Yamaki said.

* * *

"Mako! Mako, come quickly; it's him! Our Digimon's on TV!" Ai shouted at her younger brother, who instantly came running into the room just in time to see Mistymon strike Beelzemon with his sword.

"What's going on? Who is that fighting him?" Mako asked as Beelzemon fell over.

"I don't know, but we have to get over there! He may need our help!" Ai said as she picked up their Digivice. "He's on that really tall building in the middle of town; come on!"

* * *

A/N: Yes, yes, Tomoya is a dick.


	44. Digivolution through Death

A/N: Sorry I haven't posted in a while, school and stuff, blah blah blah…you all know the drill. Anyway, hope you enjoy this! :D

* * *

"Tomoya, stop this!" Emerilla shouted, but Tomoya's eyes were fixated on the ground.

"Damn it, Tomoya; call off Mistymon!" Nate shouted, grabbing Tomoya's shoulder, turning him around to look him in the eyes, but the expression on Tomoya's face was emotionless and nonreactive to Nate's sudden action.

"Don't worry about it," Beelzemon said calmly. "He can't hurt me, and I won't kill him. We need him to release all his pent up rage before…something happens," Beelzemon said, looking directly at Guilmon.

"Uh, Takato? Does he mean what I…think he means?" Jeri asked nervously.

"If he does, then we can count our blessings that we have someone like him with us to stop it before it happens," Takato sighed, gently petting Guilmon's head.

"Poor Beelzemon; he always seems to bring out the worst in everybody, even when he's not being an asshole," Terriermon said.

"_Terriermon_!" Henry snapped.

"What?! I know you agree with me!"

"That's…not it. Just watch your language in front of the kids, all right?" Henry whispered. "Also, there might be some readers of this story who don't like it, either."

"…What?!"

"Takato, why aren't you doing anything to stop you kid?!" Rika yelled. "I know what Beelzemon's trying to do, but this is just too much! They could end up destroying the entire city if this keeps up!"

"I don't have any right to scold him for any of this," Takato said sternly.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember when Guilmon became Megidramon? He almost destroyed the entire Digital World because I couldn't control my own anger!"

"This is exactly why he didn't tell Tomoya about the Digital World being real; he didn't want him to make the same mistake he did with Megidramon," Jeri said softly.

"Don't worry; everything will be fine," Beelzemon insisted, ducking out of the way of another one of Mistymon's attacks. "Isn't that right, Mistymon?"

"…When this began, I bared you no ill will, Beelzemon," Mistymon said.

"Right, that's good!" Beelzemon smiled.

"But with each swing of my blade, my hatred of you continues to increase, along with my partners'. He wishes you dead, so I will do everything in my power to see that his wish comes true! Blast Fire!" Mistymon's attack struck Beelzemon directly in the chest.

"Aw, I feel bad," Guilmon said sadly. "I like Takatomon's clone, but I don't want to see Beelzemon all beat up like this…"

"He's not Takato's clone, he's his son!" Terriermon said, leaping onto Guilmon's head.

"I don't know what to do, either," Theo said.

"What are you talking about?! We need to knock that idiot unconscious so he'll stop attacking Beelzemon!" Nate said, pointing at Mistymon.

"Nate, watch out!" Mia shouted as Agumon shoved his partner out of the way of one of Mistymon's attacks.

"Betamon!"

"I'm on it, Dalton! Betamon Digivolve to, Seadramon! Ice Blast!" Seadramon's attack stopped another of Mistymon's attacks before it hit Dalton.

"Make sure his attacks don't hit anyone," Dalton said. "Or any of these buildings."

"You can count on me!" Seadramon said, rising in the air.

"Beelzemon!"

"Witchmon?! What are you doing here?" Beelzemon asked as the Champion Digimon flew up beside him.

"I saw you fighting someone, so I thought I'd help you," Witchmon said.

"Don't worry; everything's under control," Beelzemon said as Mistymon nearly stabbed the Mega in the chest with his sword.

"Aquary Pressure!"

"STOP! Don't get involved!" Beelzemon shouted while nimbly dodging another of Mistymon's attacks. "This one doesn't need to get provoked anymore."

"Are you trying to get yourself killed, idiot?!" Witchmon cried.

"Basically, he's using himself as a punching bag for Mistymon so he can get rid of his pent up rage before he turns into a monster like Megidramon…or worse," Takato said solemnly.

"Some plan! That Digimon looks even angrier than Astamon, and that's definitely saying something!" Witchmon said.

"Do you know who you're talking about? There isn't a Digimon around strong enough to take out Beelzemon!" Beelzemon's head instantly turned when he heard the new voice.

"Mako? Is…that you?" Beelzemon asked weakly, looking at one of his human partners.

"I'm glad you haven't forgotten me," Mako said.

"You remember me too, don't you?" a girl asked from behind Mako.

"Ai…how could I possibly forget either one of you?" Beelzemon asked with a warm smile. "But what are the two of you doing here? Astamon told me you two had left the city…"

"What are you talking about? We decided to live here in this city so you could find us easily in case you were able to come back," Mako said.

"I see…so Astamon lied to me to get me to do what I wanted, eh? Should've guessed…well, I'm glad the two of you are all right. I keep forgetting how fast you humans grow up," Beelzemon said, pulling his tamers into a hug.

"Beelzemon, watch out!" Renamon warned just as Beelzemon shoved his two tamers to the ground before another one of Mistymon's attacks hit his back.

"That could've killed my tamers," Beelzemon said spitefully, glaring at Mistymon.

"My attacks will not cease simply because you have your own partners with you; I suggest getting far away from them," Mistymon said, pointing his sword at the Mega.

"You know, attacking me is one thing," Beelzemon pulled out one of his guns. "But you just went too far!" Beelzemon shot Mistymon in the left kneecap, making him fall down. "If you turn back into Candlemon, you won't die."

"**I have much bigger plans for you, Beelzemon**," Mistymon said, beginning to turn back into data when suddenly, he began to glow with the light of Digivolution.

"He's…Digivolving?!" Rika exclaimed.

"Dude, what is going on?!" Kazu asked.

"Digivolution through death…I thought it was only a legend," Beelzemon muttered.

"Beelzemon, what's going on?" Renamon asked.

"I'm afraid I wasn't able to stop him in time; he's truly become a monster," Beelzemon said as the flames on Mistymon's sword turned pitch-black, along with his cape, while his armor turned a deep blue and his skin turned as pale and decayed as a rotting corpse.

"**Just call me…DexMistymon**," DexMistymon said as he began to rise into the air, once again pointing his sword at the Mega.


	45. A Soul Corrupted by Darkness

A/N: Hope you all enjoyed the apocalypse – I certainly did Anyway, enjoy this (hopefully not TOO overdue) chapter!

* * *

"Beelzemon…what happened to him?!" Jeri asked.

"He achieved Digivolution through death, also known as Death-X Evolution. When it happens, a Digimon who was dying can become another Digimon, but at the loss of their sanity and whatever amount of light in their hearts they might have had," Beelzemon said.

"Tomoya, you IDIOT! You just can't let anything go, can you?!" Nate shouted, about to punch him in the face when Beelzemon grabbed his arm.

"Don't be so quick to judge him," Beelzemon stated.

"Why the hell not?! He turned his best friend into that monster!" Emerilla shouted, pointing at DexMistymon, who hadn't moved an inch or said anything since he declared his new name.

"Trust me; there isn't a Digivice in the world capable of creating a monster like that. Take my word for it; he's a lot worse than Megidramon was," Beelzemon glanced at Guilmon.

"You mean…someone else might be influencing him?" Henry asked.

"Not just him; Takato's boy, too."

"So, what do we need to do to make him turn back into Candlemon?" Yamaki asked.

"Well, unfortunately, the situation's changed a bit," Beelzemon stole a quick glance at Jeri. "Unfortunately, there isn't anything we can do to make him turn back into his original self. The only thing we can do is kill him and wait for him to be reborn."

"Beelzemon!" Jeri gasped. "There must be another way!"

"I'm…sorry, Jeri; I don't want to kill another friend any more than you do, but this is the only thing we can do to save ourselves…and him," Beelzemon said sadly. "Everyone, back up; this could be a little messy." Everyone did what Beelzemon said, though Nate did so with hesitation.

"Come on, Nate," Takato said, gently grabbing the other boy's shoulder, but not before Nate punched Tomoya as hard as he could in the face. "Nate, stop that!"

"Sorry, Mr. Matsuki, but you know he had it coming!" Nate snapped.

"Well, part of me agrees with you, but…I just can't bring myself to punish him at all," Takato sighed. _What right do I have to punish him, anyway, when, twenty years ago, I did the same to my own friend?_ Takato thought while looking at Guilmon.

"Well, it looks like Beelzemon's managing to hang in there," Terriermon said. "Kind of different from the good old days, huh?"

"Hey, shut up! I was strong back then, and I'm still strong now!" Beelzemon shouted, turning to glare at the little Rookie as one of DexMistymon's attacks hit his back.

"Beelzemon, are you ok?!" Ai asked.

"Don't worry; it'll take more than that to hurt me," Beelzemon said, sounding exhausted as he struggled to stand back up.

"Mako, did you pack the Digivice?" Ai asked, but Mako didn't say anything. "You forgot the Digivice, didn't you?"

"…Sort of…" Mako said, backing away from his sister.

"How could you forget something as important as our Digivice, you stupid twit?!" Ai shouted.

"Guys, don't worry; I don't need help from the Digivice. I can defeat him on my own, all right?" Beelzemon asked, giving his Tamers a reassuring smile before turning to fight DexMistymon once again. "And I don't need any help from any of you, all right?" Beelzemon said specifically to the other partnered Digimon. _One of us risking our asses trying to beat this guy is enough!_

"Oh, man, I feel so useless…I wish there was something I could do," Theo said before nearly tripping over PlatinumSukamon, suddenly being reminded of how powerful the small Digimon was. "PlatinumSukamon! Can you help out Beelzemon?"

"What are you talking about, Theo?" Nate asked.

"Wasn't it you who told all of us how powerful he was?" Theo asked back. "You told us he was able to tackle a Devidramon down to the ground like it was nothing!"

"Hey, you're right!" Nate exclaimed, bending down to look PlatinumSukamon in the eyes. "PlatinumSukamon, do you think it would be possible for you to help out our friend Beelzemon?" Nate asked kindly, but PlatinumSukamon didn't respond.

"Please? It's really important," Theo added.

PlatinumSukamon slowly pressed his index finger against his lips and whispered, "Shh, I'm a potato; potatoes don't talk."

"Well, if that little freak isn't going to help out Beelzemon, I certainly am!" Witchmon said, climbing onto her broom.

"How could you say something like that?!" Lilac asked loudly, and Witchmon turned to glance at her. "He may not be the smartest Digimon around, and he may not have even realized that you were talking about him, but how could you just insult him like that?! He's still a living, breathing Digimon like you and Tapirmon and every Digimon up here!"

"Perhaps, but…don't you think it's a little strange that the Chuumon that usually sat on his head is missing?" Witchmon asked wryly.

"What do you mean?" Lilac asked quietly.

"I'm saying that the two Digimon you thought of as friends are nothing more than spies for Astamon! PlatinumSukamon was ordered by Astamon to attack that Devidramon in order to save your friends, so as to befriend all of you! That is why Astamon was able to get his creepy hands on Yuggoth, and the only reason PlatinumSukamon is still here with you right now is because he has gotten his stupid ass lost!" Witchmon shouted. Lilac said nothing, but instead bent down and picked up PlatinumSukamon.

"What you said…that might have been true for Chuumon, but I cannot believe the same for PlatinumSukamon! I know that he honestly believes that we're friends, either through lapse of memory, or he genuinely wishes to be our friend," Lilac said gently.

"Hmph, believe what you want," Witchmon snorted. "Just watch yourself around him, all right? You never know when he might actually remember his mission and go back to Astamon!" With that, Witchmon flew off to help Beelzemon fight DexMistymon. "Aquary Pressure!" Witchmon's attack doused the pitch-black flames that had enveloped DexMistymon's sword.

"Witchmon, I thought I told you all to stay back!" Beelzemon snapped.

"You were speaking to the Digimon partnered to humans, but I haven't any partner," Witchmon said solemnly.

"All right, all right; I was never able to keep a leash on you, anyway," Beelzemon said, shaking his head.

"You know, you and your human partners are lucky to have each other; I really am quite jealous…"

"Lucky, huh? Well, we've got to make sure that this boy and his Digimon are able to retain that luck!" Beelzemon said, aiming a gun at Mistymon, who simply threw his sword down to the ground. "Hey, what are you doing?! We're trying to save your life here!"

"**Your words are illogical, Beelzemon. I am in no physical danger at all; no offence to your combat skills**," DexMistymon said coolly, walking over to Tomoya.

"It's not your body that's in danger; it's your soul," Beelzemon said seriously. "You spend too much time in the darkness, and there's almost no coming back, even if you become reborn!"

"**Hahaha! Your antics amuse me, Beelzemon**," DexMistymon said condescendingly before placing his hands on Tomoya's shoulders. "**Tomoya, be a good Digidestined and help me Digivolve once again, would you?**" Tomoya's head didn't move from looking down at the ground, but he pulled out his Digivice.

"Beelzemon, what are we going to do if he Digivolves to his Mega level?" Witchmon asked worriedly.

"He may not be able to; I said there wasn't a Digivice around that could achieve Digivolution through death, but-"

"**This is something else entirely**," DexMistymon said, finishing Beelzemon's sentence. "**It's true; my partner's Digivice was not the one to make me as strong as I am now, but what I am aiming to do is nothing more than a simple Digivolution to the next level, which any Digivice can do. Now, Tomoya, Digivolve me; help me become stronger so I can defeat these Digimon!**" Tomoya's Digivice emitted a bright light, causing DexMistymon to Digivolve. "**Yes, now this is power! More power than I could ever have dreamed of! DexMistymon Digivolve to, DexDynasmon!"** As with DexMistymon, DexDynasmon still resembled a normal Dynasmon, but with pitch-black armor, and his wings were now torn up, now blood-red in color. Also, his forearms were now longer, now reaching the ground, and much larger and stronger looking, while his legs looked as though they had shrunk, though they still touched the ground. DexDynasmon emitted a fearsome roar that shook the entire building as he took flight.

"Beelzemon…what…what are we…" Witchmon, staring up at the colossal Digimon with fear, was unable to finish her sentence.

"Well, there's only one thing we can do; we'll have to continue fighting," Beelzemon said as four wings sprouted from his back while his right arm became integrated with a large gun. "You don't have to help me if you don't want to; I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

"Beelzemon, how long have we known each other?" Witchmon asked.

"About four years, why?"

"In that time, when have you ever known me to just sit by and watch you risk your life in a fight?!"

"Not once," Beelzemon Blast Mode said with a grin. "Well, all right; but at least stay back a little, all right? I still don't want you to get hurt."


	46. A Change of Opinions

A/N: For Christmas, I got a TV, PS2, AND Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts CoM, and Kingdom Hearts II! Only, the PS2 didn't come with a memory card, so when I get one, expect updated to be even more infrequent than usual…sorry (I'll try my best, but Kingdom Hearts is soooo addicting!)

* * *

Since his Digivolution to the Mega level, DexDynasmon hadn't said a word, and his eyes appeared more feral than before, instead giving off primitive grunts or roaring ferociously when attacking Witchmon or Beelzemon Blast Mode with his bulky arms and razor-sharp claws.

"Well, I must say I'm proud of myself for staying alive as long as I have," Witchmon said, eyeing the corrupted Mega with disdain.

"Think of him like a SkullGreymon; he has no strategy for battle, only destroying everything that moves," Beelzemon said. "You know, I won't think any less of you if you decide to-"

"Beelzemon, I've told you before; I would never abandon you in a situation like this!" Witchmon snapped. "Aquary Pressure!" Witchmon unleashed a powerful stream of water that struck DexDynasmon directly in the chest, forcing him down to the ground.

"Corona Blaster!" Beelzemon fired a destructive wave from his blaster at the Mega, striking him in the face. "Double Impact!" Beelzemon drew out his shotgun and shot DexDynasmon multiple times in his shoulders and knees. "Why won't you die already?!"

"Balaluna Gale!" Witchmon attacked with a sharp wind that tore up DexDynasmon's wings even more than they originally were. DexDynasmon then slowly rose up into the air without flapping his wings, and began to glow with a dark aura.

"Corona Blaster!" Beelzemon's attacked struck the Mega directly in the chest, but he didn't even flinch. "Oh, no; everyone, get down! He's about to –"

"**Breath of Decayed Wyvern!**" the aura around DexDynasmon transformed into a gigantic wyvern, which smashed into Hypnos, easily demolishing it in seconds, burying everyone on top in the debris, which spread itself out into the streets of the city.

_Jeez, I can't believe I survived that…_ Beelzemon thought as he attempted to stand back up, but found that he could not, as several large shards of broken glass had pinned his left wing to the ground. "I knew I should've told Witchmon to stay back…"

"It wouldn't have done you any good; it's not like you're in charge of me," Witchmon said weakly, limping across the rubble. Her right hand was clutching her left shoulder, which was pouring blood down her arm. Her dress was torn up, and her hat and broom were missing. "Balaluna Gale!" Witchmon used her attack directly underneath Beelzemon's wing, removing the shards of glass from it.

"Well, it looks like I won't be flying for a while," Beelzemon said as he stood up and looked at his crumpled wings. "Where are the others? And…where's DexDynasmon?"

"Everyone is still alive; the Guardromon protected them from the worst of the rubble. As for DexDynasmon…" Witchmon looked directly behind Beelzemon at the corrupted Digimon. Beelzemon turned around and attacked with a Corona Blaster, but, again, DexDynasmon failed to notice, instead unleashing an unearthly roar as he prepared to attack again. "If he attacks again, this time, he'll kill us!"

"No way am I going to let that happen! Corona Destroyer!" Beelzemon traced a magic circle in the air, through which he unleashed a powerful beam from it, which was enough to bring DexDynasmon out of the sky. "Darkness Claw!" Beelzemon attempted to stab DexDynasmon in the chest with his left claws, but was unable to penetrate his armor. DexDynasmon then pummeled Beelzemon with his massive arms, sending him falling to the ground.

"Beelzemon, no! Aquary –"

"Witchmon, stop!" Beelzemon shouted. "Don't waste your energy attacking. Get the others out of here before he attacks again!" DexDynasmon was up in the air once again, trapping Beelzemon against a pile of rubble as he was about to attack, when suddenly, he was shoved backward into another building, causing it to collapse entirely, by none other than PlatinumSukamon.

"…How did he…do that?" Beelzemon stammered, shocked by PlatinumSukamon's power.

"I was told how he was strong by Astamon, but I never believed this!" Witchmon said breathlessly. "Thank you for helping us, and…sorry about what I said earlier about you."

"I help my friends," PlatinumSukamon grinned.

"Well, you did a good job of that," Beelzemon said, standing back up. "Think I could ask you to help us defeat that guy? With your strength, it might be possible!"

"I like cake!" PlatinumSukamon exclaimed.

"Buddy, if you can help us destroy this monstrosity, I'll treat you to all the cake you can eat," Beelzemon said as he aimed his cannon at DexDynasmon, who began to emerge from the rubble of the second building he destroyed.

"Great, now even I have something to look forward to," Witchmon said, still clutching her bleeding arm.

"If you wanna last that long, use this to stop your bleeding," Beelzemon handed Witchmon the red bandana that was around his arm, which Witchmon tied around hers. DexDynasmon, now free from the rubble, flew toward the three Digimon, put PlatinumSukamon jumped and landed on his back, pinning him to the ground. After receiving the word from Beelzemon, PlatinumSukamon leaped off the tainted Mega, allowing Witchmon and Beelzemon to attack him with their strongest attacks. DexDynasmon stood back up, but roared in horror when he saw his arms dissolving back into data. Unable to comprehend what was happening to himself, DexDynasmon lunged at Beelzemon, who jumped back to dodge his flailing arms. DexDynasmon let out one final roar as he turned back into regular Mistymon, and then into Candlemon.

"I'm sorry," Candlemon muttered to the three Digimon after looking at his disintegrating body.

"It's not your fault; someone else made you and Tomoya do what you did," Beelzemon said, turning from his Blast Mode to his regular form. "Don't worry; as a partner Digimon that isn't having his data absorbed by another Digimon, you'll convert back into a Digi-Egg."

"I see…thank you, Beelzemon, Witchmon, PlatinumSukamon," Candlemon bowed his head to the three Digimon.

"Would you like to see you partner before you go?" Witchmon said, looking behind herself to see Tomoya and the other Digidestined and Digimon. Tomoya, seeing his Digimon's data flying away, instantly ran over to his partner.

"Candlemon…what's happening to you?! What's going on?!" Tomoya said, picking up his Digimon.

"What's the last thing you can remember?" Beelzemon asked.

"…I remember…returning from the Digital World with my father, and seeing you…everything after that moment when I recognized you is a complete blur…"

"Not surprising…listen up, kid; despite what some of your friends might say, you did not do anything wrong, least of all to your Digimon; that was someone else's doing; do you understand?" Beelzemon looked Tomoya straight in the eye.

"But…what happened? And what's happening to Candlemon?! Is…he…"

"Yes, I'm afraid he is, but he'll return as a Digi-Egg, being a partner Digimon. It'll take some time, but he'll be back to normal soon."

"Candlemon…" Tomoya's eyes filled with tears as he looked down at his dying Digimon.

"Tomoya…don't worry. Beelzemon saved all of us, including me, and what he said is true…none of this was your fault, and we will…see each other again…soon…" Candlemon closed his eyes as the rest of his body turned into little pieces of data, which immediately took the form of a bright-red Digi-Egg.

"Tomoya, I'm sure you probably still hate me for…Leomon's murder, and I'm sure this doesn't help matters. Well, if you want to hate me, go right ahead; I know I deserve it," Beelzemon said.

"What are you talking about? You not only saved the lives of my mother and her friends many times, but you also saved the life of my Digimon and everyone here!" Tomoya, still holding the Digi-Egg, stood up. "Beelzemon, you're my hero!"

* * *

Just heard about Pokemon Generation VI! So excited about it, and I really want a Fennekin!


	47. The Egg Speaks

Astamon stared lazily at the ceiling of the cavern Devidramon had taken him to; angry that Dracmon's data was insufficient enough to heal him. "That damn brat was never good for anything…" Astamon grumbled, struggling to sit up.

"Be careful, Lord Astamon; you haven't fully recovered!" Chuumon squeaked.

"No, I have not, and I doubt I ever will, so I might as well act now," Astamon said as he left the cavern, followed by the small Rookie.

"You feeling better, milord?" Devidramon asked as Astamon jumped onto the dragon's back.

"Should you really be up yet? Beelzemon is a powerful Digimon!" JewelBeemon protested, and Astamon glared at his minion. "Not as strong as you, of course! All I'm saying is –"

"Shut up, JewelBeemon; you are foolish to have doubts in our master's abilities!" Devidramon scolded.

"Yeah, if you don't think he can beat those Digidestined kids, then just wait here!" Chuumon jeered, hopping onto Astamon's shoulder. JewelBeemon said nothing as he and Devidramon took flight to find the Digidestined, reaching the city within twenty minutes.

"What happened here?" Astamon said, looking at the remnants of Hypnos, with no Digimon or Digidestined in sight. "Who did this? Surely it wasn't those kids!"

"I doubt any of those humans or Digimon are strong enough to do something like this while we were gone. It must've been someone from our group," Chuumon said.

"As far as I know, we're the only ones left alive," Devidramon said.

"Maybe those humans got buried in the rubble," JewelBeemon suggested.

"…Kind of a shame if it were true; I'd have liked to finish them off myself," Astamon said forlornly.

"What should we do? Are we going back to the Digital World, or do you want to find out if they're alive first?" Chuumon asked.

"If you'd like to fight them, JewelBeemon and I could…do something to lure them out," Devidramon offered. "If they're still alive, that is."

"I really was looking to fighting them…fine; do as you please," Astamon said, jumping off Devidramon's back.

"All right, buddy; let's have some fun!" JewelBeemon said, flying high in the sky alongside the Champion.

"What would you like me to do, sir?" Chuumon asked, and Astamon regarded the small Rookie momentarily.

"You…are capable of Digivolution, aren't you?" Astamon asked.

* * *

Tomoya sat across the table in his house from his Digi-Egg, waiting for it to hatch.

"Watched pots don't boil, dude," Dalton yawned, sitting next to his younger cousin.

"Dalton…you're still able to tolerate me?" Tomoya asked dryly.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's my fault that –"

"Stop right there. Beelzemon already explained to all of us what had happened, didn't he? He told all of us that someone made you do all those horrible things you did, and even Emerilla was able to forgive you. What made you think that your own cousin wouldn't forgive you for something that wasn't your fault if even someone like her was able to?" Dalton asked.

"Sorry, Dalton. It's just that…I'm worried about what Beelzemon told me," Tomoya whispered.

"You mean about Candlemon not remembering you when he hatches?" Betamon asked.

"You're not very tactful," Dalton said, smacking his Digimon partner on the head. "Don't worry about that, Tomoya; you two were great friends, and friendship isn't something you can just forget. It's a bond between souls, and it's not something you can erase so easily."

"…I don't know how you do it, Dalton; just a sentence or two, and you can totally wipe away someone's concerns," Tomoya said as he picked up the Digi-Egg.

"Hey, Takato's clone, do you know the first human I saw when I hatched from my Digi-Egg was Takato?" Guilmon asked, sniffing the Digi-Egg in Tomoya's lap. "Well, we didn't really know each other at first, and he thought I was going to eat him, but we became friends really fast, and we've been friends ever since!"

"You make a good point," Tomoya said, petting Guilmon's head. "And for the last time, I am not Takato's clone; I am his son."

"But you look just like him! Are you sure?" Guilmon stared at Tomoya. "You know, you also look like Jeri! Aww, now I don't know whose clone you are!"

"Guilmon, he's not anyone's clone!" Dalton laughed.

"You know, you look like Kai!" Guilmon said in awe.

"You met my father, huh? So he's been in contact with the Digimon as well," Dalton pondered.

"He caught me a fish!" Guilmon exclaimed with delight. "Where is Kai? I want another fish!"

"He's back on that island you met him on; I'm only here with Takato and Jeri so I can go to school."

"Aww, I don't like school; that's where Takato goes when we're not allowed to play together!"

"It's not so bad; it's a great place to go to catch up on sleep!" Dalton joked.

"I certainly hope that's not **all** you do in school," Jeri said from behind the teenager. She was holding Calumon.

"School can't be **that** fun if all you do is sleep!" Calumon said.

"Oh, no, of course not!" Dalton said guiltily. "I…uh…study in my sleep?"

"That's actually true, mom; I've seen him do it," Tomoya said honestly.

"Really? Let me know the next time he does it; I'd pay to see that!"

"Ok, you can start by paying the two of us," Dalton suggested.

"Jeri…" Takato said from behind his wife.

"Takato, what's wrong? Your face is pale!" Jeri gasped, nearly dropping Calumon.

"Astamon is still alive," Takato said quietly, and the room fell silent for several seconds.

"But…how can that be? Beelzemon shot him in the chest!" Betamon shouted.

"Are you sure he's still alive?" Tomoya asked.

"Well, his two minions are, and I doubt they'd be demolishing what's left of the city if he were dead," Takato said seriously. "They're on every news channel on TV; the Devidramon and JewelBeemon are close to where Hypnos used to be, so they probably think that we'll come out from wherever we're hiding if they keep attacking everything."

"If they're expecting us to go after them, should we really do it? It's probably a trap," Betamon said.

"That may be, but we can't just let them do what they want in the city! Come on, Guilmon; we've got to stop them! You come to, Dalton!" Takato said, running out the door.

"What about me?!" Tomoya hollered.

"Wait here with your mother and Calumon!" Takato reached into his pocket and pulled out a Digimon card which he slid through the side of his Digivice. "Digimodify! Digivolution activate!"

"Guilmon Digivolve to, Growlmon!"

"Betamon Digivolve to, Seadramon!"

"Don't worry, we'll be back soon!" Takato said as he climbed onto Growlmon's head as the Champion ran off.

"I've never felt so useless in my entire life," Tomoya whispered when his cousin and father had left.

"Don't worry; Candlemon's Digi-Egg will hatch really soon," Jeri said, pulling her son into a hug.

_I've never seen a Digi-Egg before!_ Calumon thought excitedly, when his small ears suddenly perked up. _Wait…is it…talking? I thought eggs couldn't talk!_ Calumon looked up at Jeri and Tomoya, who didn't seem to notice anything wrong. _I guess it's talking to me…"Beware the…seven?" What does that mean?_


	48. The Minion's Last Stand

"Devidramon, your plan is working! I already see some of those humans coming this way!" JewelBeemon said excitedly.

"You're right! Let's see…Mammothmon, Gargomon, Seadramon, and Growlmon!" Devidramon exclaimed. "Remember; don't kill them! That is Lord Astamon's job!"

"I know, I know! But if I might have to slice off a few of their limbs to make this easier for the two of us!" JewelBeemon shouted as he and Devidramon swooped down and landed on the ground.

* * *

"Hey, Mr. Matsuki, who's Tomoya doing?" Lilac asked as she slid off Mammothmon's back with PlatinumSukamon in her arms.

"I guess he's ok, but…he hasn't quite forgiven himself yet," Takato said sadly.

"In short, he's become rather self-loathing," Dalton said. "But, on the plus side, he doesn't hate Beelzemon anymore."

"I'm worried about him; I feel like if Candlemon's Digi-Egg doesn't hatch soon, he may never forgive himself, even when it does hatch," Takato said as he got off Growlmon's back.

"Maybe you should take him to see Yamaki's wife," Henry suggested.

"Who, Riley?"

"Yeah; she's a counselor after all."

"We should probably deal with the problem at hand before we try to figure out what to do with Tomoya," Dalton said.

"What problem?" Lilac asked as Dalton pointed to the forms of Devidramon and JewelBeemon flew closer and closer to the group until finally, they reached the ground.

"Greetings, Digidestined! Our Lord Astamon has requested an audience with you," JewelBeemon said haughtily.

"More specifically, he desires a fight with you," Devidramon corrected.

"If he wants to fight us, tell him to come and face us himself instead of sending his cronies to be his messengers!" Takato shouted.

"Cronies?!" JewelBeemon shrieked with rage.

"Never mind them," Devidramon interrupted. "I have a bone to pick with you," Devidramon pointed a single, red claw directly at PlatinumSukamon. Lilac clutched the small Digimon tighter against her chest as she took a step back from the menacing dragon. "I, in no way, believe that you are stronger than me, you little runt! You shall be the first to become destroyed!" PlatinumSukamon gave the larger Champion a blank look before leaping out of Lilac's arms before colliding directly into Devidramon's chest, toppling him to the ground. JewelBeemon laughed at his friend's apparent lack of strength until PlatinumSukamon tackled him to the ground as well.

"Henry, did we even need to come with this guy?" Gargomon asked before Devidramon stood back up and picked up the smaller Champion, who he then threw as hard as he could to the ground, which fractured when PlatinumSukamon landed.

"Does that answer your question?" Henry asked.

"It sure as hell does; Bunny Pummel!" Gargomon leapt up and smacked Devidramon in the face with his arm. JewelBeemon got back up and prepared to attack Gargomon, but he was attacked by Growlmon's Pyro Blaster.

"PlatinumSukamon, are you ok?!" Lilac asked as she pulled the injured Champion out of the hole he created.

"I like bacon…" PlatinumSukamon mumbled weakly.

"That…bastard…must…die! Crimson Claw!" Devidramon lunged at the girl, claws extended, as PlatinumSukamon once again jumped out of her arms and protected her from the attack, the force of which caused him to soar through the air and into Lilac, knocking her over.

"Tusk Crusher!" Mammothmon attacked Devidramon with her tusks, but the attack was blocked by JewelBeemon's spear.

"Come, now; no attack like that will be able to harm either of us as long as I hold my spear!" JewelBeemon gloated.

"Desolation Claw!" Cyberdramon appeared as if from nowhere and cleanly sliced through JewelBeemon's spear with his sharp claws, much to the insect's horror.

"Foxtail Inferno!"

"Moon Night Bomb!" Kyubimon and Lekismon came up from behind Mammothmon and attacked JewelBeemon with their attacks.

"See what happens when you leave for a fight without **us**, gogglehead?!" Rika barked at Takato. "If it weren't for me and Kyubimon, you'd both be dead by now!"

"Wasn't it Cyberdramon who destroyed JewelBeemon's lance?" Ryo asked.

"Yeah, well, it was my idea for us to even come down here in the first place!"

"S–stupid humans! You broke my spear!" JewelBeemon shrieked.

"You shouldn't have done that; you definitely don't want to see this guy angry," Devidramon chuckled.

"Shot Claw!"

"Seadramon Digivolve to, MegaSeadramon! Lightning Javelin!" MegaSeadramon attacked JewelBeemon before he could unleash his own attack.

"Long Live Lord Astamon!" JewelBeemon shouted to the heavens as his data disappeared, becoming absorbed by MegaSeadramon.

"No way! You…you destroyed him!" Devidramon said in awe. "He was my friend…and you killed him! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU! I DON'T CARE WHAT LORD ASTAMON SAYS! CRIMSON CLAW!"

"Tusk Crusher!" Mammothmon launched her tusks directly into Devidramon's face, instantly killing the Champion as Mammothmon absorbed his data. Lilac sighed in relief, and then looked down at PlatinumSukamon.

"Is he going to be ok?" Gargomon asked, and Lilac slowly shook her head.

"He's dying," Lilac said tearfully, showing Gargomon that PlatinumSukamon's data was slowly beginning to dissipate.


	49. Righteous Judgment

"He's dying," Lilac repeated breathlessly, looking down forlornly at the dying PlatinumSukamon.

"Is there anything we can do for him?" Rika asked.

"At this point, no," Kyubimon said sorrowfully.

"I ok," PlatinumSukamon said weakly, climbing out of Lilac's arms.

"PlatinumSukamon, please don't –"

"Someone is here," PlatinumSukamon interrupted. "Someone bad."

"Aw, thanks for ruining my surprise entrance, you big lummox!" Chuumon said from atop a stoplight. "I hope you're happy; you ruined my life one last time before your demise! What are you doing with those humans, anyway?! You're supposed to be working for Lord Astamon!"

"He told me to be friends with them!" PlatinumSukamon shouted.

"He told you to PRETEND to be friends with them, idiot!" Chuumon snapped. "So, are you going to betray Lord Astamon like Beelzemon and Witchmon, or are you come back to us? If you come back, Lord Astamon would most definitely be able to heal your wound using data from the multitudes of Digimon he has slayed!"

"Lord Astamon not my friend!" PlatinumSukamon said. "Humans are! Humans nice to me!"

"…I told Lord Astamon something like this would happen," Chuumon said remorsefully. "Well, if you aren't coming back, then you are a traitor to the cause of Lord Astamon, and for that, you will have to be destroyed!" Chuumon leapt off the stoplight, landing in front of the larger Champion, where he began to glow with the light of Digivolution. "Chuumon Warp Digivolve to, Kumbhiramon!" Kumbhiramon swung the pestle on his back to aim one of its ends at PlatinumSukamon's face. "Prepare to face the righteous judgment of Lord Astamon!"

* * *

"'Beware the seven?' What does that mean?" Calumon pondered.

"What are you talking about, Calumon?" Jeri asked.

"Tomoya's Digi-Egg spoke to me! It told me to beware the seven! Did you not hear that?"

"Calumon, eggs don't talk," Tomoya said. "And, I'm presuming, Digi-Eggs don't either."

"But this one did!" Calumon insisted.

"Mom, was Calumon always this weird?" Tomoya whispered.

"Pretty much…"

"I'm not lying! The Digi-Egg spoke to me, and it told me to beware the seven!" Calumon shouted.

"I believe you, Calumon," Jeri said. "It's just weird for us to imagine a talking egg."

"What do you suppose he meant?" Tomoya asked. "Who are 'the seven?'"

"I don't know," Calumon admitted. "Maybe when it hatches, he can tell us himself."

"I wish he would hatch soon so I can apologize to him," Tomoya said.

_Maybe this will help,_ Calumon thought, pressing his forehead against the Digi-Egg as the center of the Zero Unit emitted a bright red glow, and a loud crack followed.

* * *

"Prepare to face the righteous judgment of Lord Astamon!" Kumbhiramon bellowed.

"That's a load of bullshit!" Nate shouted as he, Mia, Theo, and their Digimon flew in on Thunderbirdmon's back and landed behind the Ultimate. "There isn't a single thing about that Digimon that I'd consider righteous!"

"How _dare_ you speak so insolently about the Digimon that is the ruler of both the human and the Digital Worlds?!" Kumbhiramon shrieked. "For that, you shall be the second to fall, after I deal with my traitorous 'friend' over there! Bao Chu!" Kumbhiramon ran at PlatinumSukamon with his pestle, but Gargomon knocked him out of the way with his Bunny Pummel.

"Wasn't dying once enough for you Devas?" Gargomon asked.

"Don't misunderstand; though I am a Kumbhiramon by species, I am in no way connected by those misguide heroes who wish to protect the Digital World; I am far superior to any of them, both in battle skill and choice of master! Deva Clone!" Kumbhiramon split himself into twenty-four copies, all of whom surrounded the Digidestined and their Digimon. "Normally, this attack would create six clones, but I can create up to forty-eight; that means I'm eight times stronger than any of the Devas!"

"This ought to be fun; I could use a little target practice," MegaSeadramon mocked. "Lightning Javelin!"

"Bao Chu!" several of the Kumbhiramon copies rammed their pestles into MegaSeadramon's neck, causing him to fall over on his back and turn back into Betamon.

"No way; only like, six of them tackled him and he's down!" Nate said in disbelief.

"When the small and weak join forces, they can often bring about the demise of the large and powerful!" Kumbhiramon said conceitedly.

"Well, I say the weak don't have a chance this time! Agumon, Digivolve!" Nate pointed his key at Agumon, who then Digivolved to MetalTyrannomon.

"Giga Destroyer II!" MetalTyrannomon launched a missile from his right arm into the middle of the clones, but they all scampered away from the attack long before it struck the ground, and all twenty-four clones attacked MetalTyrannomon with their pestles, but the tips of them all broke off.

"W – What's going on?!" Kumbhiramon demanded.

"My armor is made of Chrome Digizoid, the strongest metal in the Digital World!" MetalTyrannomon gloated.

"Well, that doesn't matter; you may be the only one I can't harm, but you're much too slow to hit me!" Kumbhiramon shouted as he and his clones began to race around the larger Ultimate at high speeds. "Bao Chu!" While still running, Kumbhiramon and his clones rammed their pestles into Cyberdramon, Kyubimon, Lekismon, Gargomon, Mammothmon, and Growlmon, all of whom turned back to their Rookie levels. "Don't worry, I promise to kill the rest of you after I deal with the traitor!" the original Kumbhiramon once again rotated his pestle and aimed it at PlatinumSukamon, who hadn't moved an inch since he last spoke. "Any final words, _traitor_?!" As soon as Kumbhiramon spoke, PlatinumSukamon jumped up and tackled the Ultimate straight into a building and clear through four of his clones, all of which were destroyed. "You'll pay for that!" Kumbhiramon raked PlatinumSukamon across the face with his pestle, making the Champion shrink back and clutch his face in pain. He then thrust it one final time into his body, and PlatinumSukamon fell over backward, the remainder of his data finally disappeared and was absorbed by his killer. "Such is the fate of all those foolish enough to stand against Lord Astamon! Don't bother attempting to repent, foolish Digidestined, for you shall al die next!" Without warning, all of Kumbhiramon's clones were instantly destroyed. "What…the hell just happened?! What happened to all my clones?!"

"They were used as target practice by yours truly," Beelzemon Blast Mode said, landing on the ground in front of Kumbhiramon alongside Witchmon. "Kumbhiramon, you spoke of dealing righteous judgment to those who went against your ways – or rather, Astamon's ways. Do you think that if I killed you – right here, right now, - that that would also be righteous judgment?"

"Righteous Judgment can only be dealt by those dedicated to serve the righteous, like myself!" Kumbhiramon retorted, and Beelzemon sighed.

"You…really think Astamon's the good guy here? That…he's some sort of good guy? Look, I know he saved your life long ago and everything, but think for yourself, damn it; think about what he's been making you do! Good guys don't make their pawns commit senseless murder!"

"The only senseless one was that bumbling idiot that I cleansed this world of!"

"Kumbhiramon…earlier, you said that you were in no way related to the misguided Devas who wished to protect the Digital World, but now you're saying that you and Astamon are the good guys? Where is your logic in that?" Witchmon asked.

"It's true; Lord Astamon and I are planning to destroy the Digital World, but with the power he has gained with Yuggoth, and the power he has yet to gain from Digimon he has yet to destroy, we will recreate the Digital World anew, but this time, it will be better; it will be the way he and I have always envisioned it! Those who weren't filled with a strong sense of justice will be reborn, but as the way I am now, and those that are will have their lives spared! That is why I am eternally grateful to Lord Astamon; had he not been there to save my life that day and explain to me his goals, I never would have become the Digimon I am today."

"The Digimon you are today…is not a Digimon that should be left alive," Beelzemon said, drawing his shotgun. "Double Imp –"

"Bao Chu!" Kumbhiramon rushed forward and jammed his pestle into Beelzemon's gun, slicing it cleanly in half while the tips of the pestle dug themselves deeper into Beelzemon's hand.

"Get off of me, you delusional freak!" Beelzemon shouted, kicking the Ultimate off his hand. When attempting to stand back up, the data from one of Kumbhiramon's wings began to fly away, much to his surprise. "All right, time for you to die!"

"Deva Clone!" with an effort, Kumbhiramon summoned up more clones, but only five this time.

"Balaluna Gale!" Witchmon summoned up a wind that blew all six Kumbhiramon into the sky, and all the clones immediately dissipated. "Aquary Pressure!" Witchmon shot a stream of water clear through Kumbhiramon's body.

"AHH, NO! Lord Astamon…I've failed…you…" Kumbhiramon sobbed as the rest of his body turned into data.

"You swore that you would always be of value to me up until your death, and so you shall!" Astamon yelled, leaping from the top of a building into the middle of Kumbhiramon's data, which he then absorbed. "Nothing like a blindly loyal pawn adding his or her own power to yours. Now, tell me…which of you would like to be the first to die? Or would any of you like to surrender to me at this moment and join me?"

* * *

A/N: Fun fact; Ryo initially stated to Kazu and Kenta that he was deciding between the two of them to be his best man. After watching the ensuing fight, he later said that he only said that so as to watch the fight he knew would happen between the two, and then took Kenta to the hospital to surgically remove Kazu's Digivice from his nose and his own Digivice from...somewhere else.


	50. The Demon Beast Has Arrived

Candlemon's Digi-Egg cracked once again, this time louder. Tomoya, Jeri, and Calumon waited anxiously, as they all remembered that Beelzemon told them that Candlemon might not have any memories of his past life. Finally, the egg hatched, and a Mokumon hovered where the egg had been.

"Candlemon – I mean, Mokumon…I…my name is Tomoya," Tomoya slowly reached out a hand, which Mokumon answered with a trivial look on his face.

"Tomoya, you've changed; you were never so formal with me before!" Mokumon exclaimed.

"What?! You mean…you remember me?!"

"Jeez, you're acting as though I've lost my memory or something! You're supposed to the forgetful one of us, pal!"

"Hey, just because I forgot when your original birth date was does not mean I'm forgetful!" Tomoya protested. "Still…I'm glad to have you back, and…I'm sorry…"

"Tomoya, I explained to you right before I died; what happened was not your fault! Well, whatever; I am glad to be back," Mokumon said happily.

"Mokumon, what were you trying to tell me earlier?" Calumon asked.

"What are you talking about?" Mokumon asked.

"Back when you were a Digi-Egg, you said 'beware the seven.' What did you mean by that?"

"Calumon, I hate to break this to you, but Digi-Eggs are incapable of speech. As for 'beware the seven…' I haven't the slightest idea what that means. Sorry."

"Mokumon, we need to catch up to Dalton and my father; some of Astamon's minions showed up in the city! Are you feeling up to going?" Tomoya asked.

"Of course I am; what do you take me for?" Mokumon asked as Tomoya's Digivice emitted a light. "Mokumon Digivolve to, DemiMeramon!"

"Don't worry, mom; the two of us will be back soon!" Tomoya said eagerly as he and DemiMeramon ran into the city.

* * *

"Now, tell me…which of you would like to be the first to die? Or would any of you like to surrender to me at this moment and join me?" Astamon asked, his gun aimed at Beelzemon.

"Sorry, never going to happen," Beelzemon said calmly.

"Well, that's a shame; I rather enjoyed the effort you and Witchmon put into your jobs…before you betrayed me!"

"I never betrayed you," Witchmon pointed out. "How could I possibly betray you when I was never on your side to begin with? I answer to Beelzemon alone; nothing more."

"Well then, I thank you for volunteering to die first!" Astamon sneered. "Don't feel too bad; think of your death as a stepping stone that will lead to a brand new Digital World…MY Digital World! Yuggoth Hellfire!" Astamon aimed his gun and fired at Witchmon, who was shoved out of the way of the attack by Beelzemon, as her broom was still missing.

"Corona Blaster!"

"Maverick!" the two attacks collided and cancelled each other out. Beelzemon flew into the sky and prepared to attack once again, and when Astamon attempted to attack once again, two missiles were launched and struck Astamon's face, knocking him onto his back.

"Well, how do you like that? Guardromon and I arrived to save the day once again!" Kazu gloated.

"Uh…it was my idea to come here," Kenta said.

"Shut up! My Digimon did all the work of carrying us here!"

"Yeah, ok…wow, Astamon really did a number on you guys!" Kenta exclaimed, looking at the unconscious Digimon. "MarineAngemon, time to get to work!"

"Kahuna Waves!" MarineAngemon spit pink heart-shaped bubbles from his mouth at the other Digimon, healing all of them as they returned to their Champion levels. "There; all better!"

"Thank you, MarineAngemon," Henry said.

"Henry!"

"Suzie, what are you doing here?!" Henry exclaimed.

"I'm a Tamer to, you know! You shouldn't have left Lopmon and me at the house!" Suzie said.

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry."

"All right, now that that's out of the way, can we beat this guy up already?!" Kazu asked.

"Those are the words I've been waiting to hear!" Agumon exclaimed. Takato, Henry, Rika, and Ryo reached into their pockets and pulled out blue cards.

"Digimodify; Matrix Digivolution Activate!" the four Tamers shouted as they slid the blue cards through their Digivices, all of which began to emit a light, as did Suzie's, Nate's, and Mia's Digivices.

"Growlmon Matrix Digivolve to, WarGrowlmon!"

"Gargomon Matrix Digivolve to, Rapidmon!"

"Kyubimon Matrix Digivolve to, Taomon!"

"Strikedramon Matrix Digivolve to, Cyberdramon!"

"Lopmon Digivolve to, Turuiemon!"

"Agumon Digivolve to, Tyrannomon!"

"Salamon Digivolve to, Darcmon!" Lilac, Dalton, Emerilla, and Theo pulled out their keys, which they pointed at their Digimon, who began to glow with the light of Digivolution.

"Unimon Digivolve to, Mammothmon!"

"Seadramon Digivolve to, MegaSeadramon!"

"Lekismon Digivolve to, Crescemon!"

"Thunderbirdmon Digivolve to, Parrotmon!"

"Wow, you guys are so special for having Digimon that can Digivolve!" Kazu said mockingly.

"Aw, Kazu, you've hurt my feelings!" Guardromon said dejectedly.

"Oh, sorry; I was being sarcastic."

"Okay!"

"Besides, I actually do have a Digimon that can Digivolve!" Kazu said as he pulled a Blue Card from his pocket. "Digimodify; Matrix Digivolution Activate! I have ALWAYS wanted to say that!"

"Guardromon Matrix Digivolve to, Andromon!"

"Wow, it's been a while since I've seen you, huh?" Kazu asked.

"Not since I was nearly killed by that Orochimon," Andromon replied.

"Excuse me, Kazu? Do you think I could use that card?" Suzie asked.

"Sure; knock yourself out," Kazu tossed the card to Henry's sister.

"Digimodify; Matrix Digivolution Activate!"

"Turuiemon Matrix Digivolve to, Antylamon!"

"Impressive, very impressive," Astamon applauded.

"Anyone in particular want to be the one to kill this freak?" Beelzemon asked. "If any of you don't mind, I'd like to be the one to blow this guy's brains out."

"Quite the boast from someone as insignificant as you," Astamon said. "Now, if you are done rambling, I have an execution to preform; yours!"

"Flame Shot!" a small fireball hit the back of Astamon's head, causing him to turn around.

"Ah, I was wondering when you would finally show yourself…Tamer of the Crimson Digivice!" Astamon leered at Tomoya and DemiMeramon.

"Beelzemon, if you don't mind, I'd like to be the one destroy him once and for all…for what he made me and Tomoya do!" DemiMeramon said.

"Actually, I don't think he did that; he's not smart enough to take control of someone's mind," Beelzemon said.

"Yeah, I honestly have no idea what you're talking about; does it have anything to do with why that building fell apart?" Astamon asked, clearly unsure of what the others were talking about. Without another word, Tomoya's Digivice emitted the light of Digivolution as Tomoya aimed his key at his Digimon, who Digivolved straight from his In-Training level to Mistymon.

"Hmm…perhaps I am a bit outnumbered," Astamon said to himself. "I think I'll try to even the odds…by eliminating the strongest of you! Yuggoth Hellfire!" Astamon open fired at Beelzemon, who almost got out of the way of the attack in time, as several feathers on his wings got hit, and were instantly deleted.

"You bastard; Balaluna Gale!" Witchmon created to blades of air, which she swung like swords at the evil Ultimate, who nimbly dodged the attacks.

"Maverick!" Astamon kicked Witchmon in her stomach.

"Witchmon!" Beelzemon cried out as the Champion fell to the ground. "You'll pay for that! Darkness Claw!"

"Yuggoth Hellfire!" Astamon attempted to attack Beelzemon once again, but Witchmon jumped up and shielded Beelzemon from the attack completely, though her data was instantly deleted and absorbed by Astamon.

"Witchmon…" Beelzemon stared in disbelief at where Witchmon had just stood.

"She's…really dead?" Mia asked.

"You son of a bitch; that is the final life you've taken! Corona Destroyer!" Beelzemon attacked Astamon with his strongest attack, but he didn't even flinch. "Die, you son of a bitch, die! Just die already!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that; you see, I've finally gathered enough data to reach my final form! Behold; my Digivolution to the Mega level! It will be the last thing you ever see! Astamon Digivolve to, GranDracmon!"


	51. The Final Battle?

A/N: Sorry, kind of short, and a tad…anticlimactic in my opinion, but I hope you all enjoy it regardless!

* * *

"Astamon Digivolve to, GranDracmon!" Astamon's Mega level towered over even WarGrowlmon, who had to crane his neck up to even see the Mega's face. "So, what do you think? I may have been powerful at my Ultimate level, but even that power was nothing when compared to this! Oh, and did I mention I still have the Yuggoth program inside me?"

"How are we supposed to beat that thing?!" Emerilla exclaimed.

"We can't!" Beelzemon shouted, and everyone turned to look at him. "We can't beat a Digimon that powerful! It's hopeless, all right?! We don't have any choice but to surrender or be destroyed! It's over…everything all of us has worked toward is over!"

"Yes, that's the right idea! And, it just so happens that I'm in still in a merciful mood, so I'll happily accept any surrenders," GranDracmon said.

"I'm not willing to accept that this guy's indestructible; there has to be a way to defeat him!" Takato shouted.

"Henry!" Rapidmon exclaimed. "I just remembered something; remember when we were fighting the D-Reaper and your dad scanned me in that thing?" Henry gasped.

"Of course; how could I have forgotten?! The Juggernaut Program lies within you!" Henry exclaimed. "If it works on him the way it did with the D-Reaper, then it will send him back to the Digital World _and_ return him back into a harmless computer program!"

"Henry, in case you've forgotten, that program is the reason we weren't able to be with our Digimon for twenty years! How could you even think of using it again?!" Rika demanded.

"Our children have been coming back and forth from the Digital World; if our Digimon have to go back, then we'll just follow them!"

"Uh, dad? We were only able to go because of a yellow card that a man named Shibumi gave us, and one of Astamon's henchmen destroyed it," Lilac said.

"That reminds me; where is Shibumi? He might know how to defeat this guy," Tomoya suggested.

"Last I heard, he was in the Digital World," GranDracmon said. "I was looking for him, but my traitorous brother, Arkadimon, apparently just 'gave' him to another Digimon; an evil Digimon, no doubt. I highly doubt the gate to the Digital World would stay closed if there are more evil Digimon around." Everyone turned to the evil Mega and gave him a confused stare. "What? I'm only saying that because there's no way your plan will work! If it did, theoretically, than that is what would happen!"

"Thanks, GranDracmon; you've just told us how to win!" Henry shouted as Rapidmon turned back into Terriermon. "Guys, I could use some help with this!"

"Don't worry, you can count on us!" Takato said as WarGrowlmon, Taomon, and Cyberdramon returned to their Rookie levels. "Biomerge Activate!"

"Guilmon Biomerge to, Gallantmon!"

"Terriermon Biomerge to, MegaGargomon!"

"Renamon Biomerge to, Sakuyamon!"

"Monodramon Biomerge to, Justimon!"

"Keep him busy while I get this ready!" MegaGargomon flew high above GranDracmon's head, and began to rotate as fast as he could.

"Try all you like; there isn't a thing you can do to destroy me; Yuggoth Revolution!" the mouths on GranDracmon's waist fired a massive version of the Yuggoth.

"Shield of the Just!"

"Spirit Strike!"

"Thunderclap!" Gallantmon, Sakuyamon, and Justimon attacked GranDracmon's attack, which dissipated before it could hit MegaGargomon. GranDracmon swatted MegaGargomon out of the sky with his arms before he could finish the portal, which was unable to pull GranDracmon back into the Digital World.

"Fools! What good will sending me back to the Digital World do when I can just come back whenever I want?!" GranDracmon roared. "Yuggoth Revolution!" GranDracmon sent his attack to the gate that MegaGargomon opened in an attempt to destroy it. However, when the attack hit, the portal produced a strange, white light while GranDracmon himself began to glow the same color as he began to shrink. "Wait…what's going on?! Don't tell me those humans were actually successful! WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?!" GranDracmon shouted as he grew smaller and smaller.

"Everyone; now's your chance! Hit him while he's weakened!" Gallantmon ordered, and every Digimon around unleashed their most powerful attacks at the evil Digimon, who shrieked in pain. Finally, GranDracmon began to De-Digivolve until he reached his Fresh level, Zurumon.

"Unbelievable…I thought I was…indestructible…" Zurumon wheezed.

"There is no such thing as invincibility, you abominable twat," Beelzemon snapped. "Any last words before I put you out of your misery?"

"How…what went wrong? It must've been…Yuggoth. How ironic…the thing I've searched for is what lead to my near demise!" Zurumon laughed. "Farewell, Digidestined, for I shall return to the Digital World through the portal you created and heal myself! You haven't seen the last of me!" As soon as he was about to return to the Digital World, the spine of a large black book fell from the portal and landed on Zurumon's head, crushing him and what was left of his data, forever deleting his data and the data for the Yuggoth Program. The book then opened, and from it emerged a humanoid Digimon in a torn red robe.

"Wisemon?! Is that you?!" Tomoya exclaimed, and the Ultimate nodded slowly.

"What are you doing here?!" Nate asked.

"The Digital World has fallen. Grademon is dead. The Death Generals are coming…" and with that, Wisemon fell over face-down on the ground unconscious.


	52. The Arrival of the Death Generals

A/N: I have wanted to right these "Death General" chapters for such a long time now, so I hope they turn out to be as amazing as I pictured them in my head!

* * *

"The Digital World has fallen. Grademon is dead. The Death Generals are coming…" and with that, Wisemon fell over face-down on the ground unconscious. Everyone stared at the comatose Digimon in shock, not sure of what to think about what he had just said.

"Tomoya…who is that?" Gallantmon asked, perplexed.

"His name is Wisemon, and – as his name would suggest – he is quite possibly the smartest Digimon I've ever met," Tomoya said.

"What does he mean by 'the Digital World has fallen'? How can an entire world 'fall'?" Nate asked.

"I presume he means fallen to mean 'been destroyed', or something of the sort," Theo suggested. "Until he wakes up, we can never know for sure."

"MarineAngemon, do your thing," Kenta ordered as his Digimon used his Kahuna Waves attack to heal Wisemon and wake him up.

"Wisemon! Can you hear me? Are you ok?" Mistymon asked, holding the weary Ultimate's head up.

"Digidestined…I'm glad I was able to find you…" Wisemon groaned. "Did I tell you…my message?"

"'The Digital World has fallen. Grademon is dead. The Death Generals are coming.' Is that what you're talking about?" Mistymon asked, noticing that Wisemon cringed when he said Death Generals. "Wisemon, what is going on? Who attacked you? Where are Sanzomon and…and Grademon?"

"Grademon is dead. He was murdered in an attempt to protect Sanzomon and me from the Death Generals…I think…"

"You _think_? So you don't know for sure if he's dead or not?" Theo inquired.

"I didn't see his data become deleted or absorbed, but he picked a fight with the Death Generals; I would be astonished if he got away alive, skilled though he might be," Wisemon said, trying to stand up with help from Mistymon.

"Who are the Death Generals?" Tomoya asked, and Wisemon gave him the most flabbergasted look he could give with only two glowing, yellow eyes.

"How could you _possibly_ not know who the Death Generals are?! They are the seven strongest Digimon in the Digital World, and perhaps the most evil, too!" Mistymon and Tomoya stared at each other.

"Seven Digimon?" Tomoya stammered.

"This must've been what Calumon meant by 'beware the seven…'" Mistymon said, shaking his head. "But why would my Digi-Egg say something like that when I have no knowledge or memory of who they are?"

"One more thing…" Wisemon added. "The Digital World is now completely in their control; it is now in ruins, with their own individual armies running their General's section when the Generals are away."

"Well, we'll just have to fight one last time to protect the Digital World!" Tomoya declared.

"Are you _insane_?! One of those Death Generals is strong enough to hold off three GranDracmon! Without Miss Sanzomon to help us, I highly doubt we have any chance of winning," Wisemon lamented.

"Wisemon, where is Sanzomon?" Mia asked, and the Ultimate just shook his head.

"I haven't the slightest idea…she was taken off by the strongest of the Death Generals after she ordered me to warn you about the Death Generals. Also, speaking of Sanzomon," Wisemon reached into his book, which had shrunk to the about the size of a dictionary, and pulled out a red lock. "Shortly before the Death Generals invaded, she witnessed…the incident with DexDynasmon, and told me to give this to you, Tomoya."

"Is that…my lock?" Tomoya asked in disbelief, and Wisemon nodded.

"Wisemon, do you mind telling us exactly what these locks do? I've tried putting my key in it, but it won't turn no matter how hard I try!" Nate said.

"To be perfectly honest…Sanzomon never told me about them; she said you would figure it out when the time comes." Wisemon looked up into the sky, at the portal to the Digital World MegaGargomon created, and suddenly gasped. "T – The Death Generals! They're coming!" Everyone looked up into the portal to see six shining specks, and seconds later, they shot six rays of light onto Earth, around the group, and inside the rays, five enormous Digimon and one small Digimon stood looking down at Digimon and human alike.

"See? SEE?! I TOLD you he would come here to warn those humans!" a human-like Digimon said.

"Ok, Splashmon, you were right for once in your life, you wanker; if you work hard enough, it just might happen again," a red, dragon-like Digimon said.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?! I found Zephyrmon, did I not?!" Splashmon shouted.

"Yeah, AND you lost her!" the smallest of the Digimon retorted.

"Yeah, that's the last time we ever allow YOU to do something like that for us!" a Digimon covered in gold armor laughed.

"Enough of this; we are here to fulfill our mission, not squabble like a crowd of morons," a tall Digimon in dark armor said in a monotone voice. "Digidestined, allow me to apologize on behalf of my subordinates for wasting your precious time; you see, our mission is to –"

"Oh, don't go talking as if you're our boss!" the final Digimon, a tall human-like Digimon with long arms, snapped. "You're almost as bad as Splashmon in that regard, and that is definitely saying something!"

"You guys, for the last time, Zephyrmon's escape was NOT MY FAULT!" Splashmon shouted.

"Splashmon, just shut up; at least NeoVamdemon is trustworthy and capable of completing simple tasks!" the long-armed Digimon replied.

"Whatever, I'll do the talking; we don't have all eternity!" the dragon Digimon barked. "My name is Dorbickmon, leader of the Fire-fury Army. The Digimon in black armor you see before you is NeoVamdemon, leader of the Moon-light army."

"I am thoroughly looking forward to the moment when I can see how the moonlight looks while reflected in your spilt blood," NeoVamdemon said emotionlessly.

"I'm Zamielmon, leader of the Wood-spirit Army!" the small Digimon exclaimed enthusiastically. "Don't let my small size fool you; I'm a trigger-happy marksman!"

"I'm Splashmon, obviously, leader of the Water-tiger Army," Splashmon said dully. "Please, try to ignore what my subordinates say about me; in actuality, I am a skilled tactician!"

"Oh, how we would love to see that side of you for once!" the golden-armored Digimon jested. "Greetings, humans; I am Olegmon, leader of the Gold-thief Army!"

"And I am Gravimon, leader of the Earth-god Army," the long-armed Digimon said. "As we have all recently succeeded in claiming the Digital World, naturally, there are Digidestined who wish to thwart us. That is where our mission comes in."

"You beat around the bush too much, Gravimon!" Dorbickmon roared. "We just want to bloody kill you all, Digidestined!" Dorbickmon eyed Gallantmon with interest. "So, you must be Gallantmon, the bloke who lead the other Digidestined in the skirmish against the D-Reaper, aren't you?"

"So what if I am?" Gallantmon replied.

"Fusion between Digimon and human partner; I am interested in seeing how you fare whilst in a brawl. Care to find out?" Dorbickmon asked. Gallantmon said nothing as his right arm transformed into a lance, which he pointed at Dorbickmon.

"Takato, don't do it!" Justimon warned.

"These guys are way too powerful!" MegaGargomon shouted.

"I like your response, Gallantmon! Now, fight me; Dragon Breath-tonic Fire!"

"Lightning Joust!" Gallantmon's lance dispatched a strong blast of lightning which cut through Dorbickmon's flames and struck him in the face, forcing him to fall backward on the ground. "What were you saying about them being too powerful, MegaGargomon?"

"Just as I expected, you are – without a doubt – the strongest and perhaps the most dangerous of the veteran fighters here," Dorbickmon said, standing back up.

"And you guys thought I was useless; that guy couldn't even tolerate a single strike from Gallantmon!" Splashmon laughed.

"Perhaps…he is weaker in combat than you are, Splashmon, but he is far superior to you in terms of strategy," NeoVamdemon said. Olegmon and Zamielmon laughed at Splashmon as his face turned dark red with anger.

"Guys, could we just get our mission over with?" Gravimon asked.

"No; I suggest we retreat," Dorbickmon said.

"Why? You aren't afraid of dying, are you?" Splashmon jeered.

"We may need them to be destroyed, but why don't we let them bring the fight to us in the Digital World?" Dorbickmon suggested, earning him confused looks from the other Generals. "Look, there isn't any possible way for them to destroy us, right? Why don't we have a little fun with our strength? Have them come to our individual territories and have them fight us there?"

_Strange…it's not like Dorbickmon to suggest something like this, but I suppose he must have a good reason to do so._ "I suppose that would work; so long as our mission is completed, I don't think our leader cares how it's completed," NeoVamdemon said.

"Your leader," Wisemon said to himself. "That's right; where is the seventh Death General! Where is Apollomon?!"

"Apollomon?!" Lunamon gasped.

"Hell if we know," Olegmon grunted. "That fool never tells us where he's off to; just gives us orders, and then goes off on his own to who knows where!"

"If it weren't for the fact that he could easily annihilate all six of us in a single attack, we wouldn't follow a guy like that," Gravimon said.

"Anyway, I'm liking what Dorbickmon said about having them bring the fight to us, but I don't think that in itself is enough," Zamielmon said. "How about if we give them a time limit? If any of us are still alive after – say, 25 days – then we all come back here and begin our takeover of this place like the six of us really wanted?"

"That's one of the best ideas I've heard since that cocky young Digimon told Splashmon to suck his –"

"ENOUGH! STOP MAKING A FOOL OUT OF ME!" Splashmon roared.

"Then stop acting like one and go find Zephyrmon for us," Dorbickmon sighed. "Anyway, Digidestined; I look forward to seeing the lot of you soon. Don't worry; there's a lot more room to fight in our individual territories. Especially you, Gallantmon." Dorbickmon leaped and jumped through the portal back to the Digital World, as did the other five Generals.

"Dad…what are we supposed to do?" Tomoya asked.

"We do what they said; we bring the fight to them," Gallantmon replied. "I'll go with you and your friends; the rest of you should stay behind in case they decide to come back."

"I'd like to accompany you; after all, I know more about the Death Generals than you," Wisemon offered, and Gallantmon nodded.

"Will you be ok with just you guys?" Beelzemon asked.

"Of course, I'd like it if all of us could go, but then this world would be defenseless; we can't let this place become overrun with evil Digimon like those Death Generals," Gallantmon declared. "Keep Jeri safe for me, Beelzemon." Gallantmon, Wisemon, Tomoya, and his friends stepped into the portal with their Digimon, and returned once again to the Digital World.

* * *

"Those IDIOTS! They think they can get away with insulting ME?!" Splashmon fumed, stomping through a building in his kingdom. "Although, if I had told them I had succeeded, I would have had to share my prize." Splashmon smirked when he finally came across the door to a prison cell. "And boy, what a shame it would have been to share you…Zephyrmon!" Splashmon entered the cell and closed the door behind him – although, this was hardly necessary, as Zephyrmon's ankles and wrists were chained to the brick wall behind her. The Death General placed his hand under Zephyrmon's chin and lifted her head up so as to look her in the eyes. "I do hope you have been finding your accommodations to be…most satisfactory, my dear Zephyrmon. It would be a shame to see you unhappy." Zephyrmon said nothing, and Splashmon chuckled. "I'm glad you've been enjoying yourself, then; and soon, your simpleton human friends will be joining you; I do wonder if they'll last long with only a single slice of bread and a small cup of water once per day? Well, I'm afraid the two of us must wait for that to happen, but soon, the Seven Death Generals will have taken over both the Digital AND Human Worlds!" Splashmon began to laugh evilly.

"Gloat while you can…" Zephyrmon said weakly.

"What was that?!" Splashmon snapped.

"Gloat while you can…soon, the Digidestined will come back to save the Digital World, and destroy you Death Generals!" With that, Splashmon slapped Zephyrmon across the face.

"If you plan on seeing your human friends again, you'll develop a different attitude!" Splashmon shouted as he left the cell, slamming the door as hard as he could.

* * *

A/N: Yes, Dorbickmon is British…What?! It's legal!


	53. Dragon's Meadow

Upon returning to the Digital World, all the Digimon except for Wisemon turned back into their Rookie levels, and Gallantmon returned to being Takato and Guilmon.

"Wisemon…you said the Digital World had fallen to the Death Generals," Theo began.

"That is correct," Wisemon said.

"Then _why_ are we standing in the middle of a peaceful, flowery field?!"

"This must be Dorbickmon's territory; he's famed for his tactical intelligence and intuition, but also for his cruelty. It would be an understatement to simply say that he is the cruelest of the Death Generals," Wisemon said. "He gains pleasure from the sight of the Digital World becoming incinerated. _That_ is why we are in the middle of a flowery field, Theo; he loves the sight of beautiful and pristine areas like this crumble beneath his foot – literally!"

"Guys, be quiet!" Tomoya warned. "We aren't alone here!"

"Where are they?" Takato asked without making a sound, and his son looked up at a Devidramon flying overhead. The giant dragon declined, but instead of landing on the ground, another Digimon leaped off its back and in front of the Digidestined. The Devidramon flew off to a nearby mountain range.

"Well, hello there, Digidestined; my name is Flarerizamon, proud member of Dorbickmon's Fire-fury Army!" the Digimon declared. "You're lucky it is I that will be destroying you, rather than General Dorbickmon! Oh, it'll hurt a lot, but I am more merciful than he his!"

"Yeah, yeah, we get that from all the Digimon we fight," Nate said, bored.

"Something's not right here," Takato frowned. "You _claim_ to be ere to destroy us, right?"

"Of course; Devidramon and I had searched for hours and hours looking for you! I was beginning to get impatient! Now, let's get right to the part where you beg for mercy while my claws rive your skulls into small little bits! " Flarerizamon bellowed.

"See, that's the part I don't understand; when I was Gallantmon, Dorbickmon told me himself that he was looking forward to fighting me. Why would he send someone like you to fight us instead?" Takato asked.

"Oh, Dorbickmon had no time for such trivialities! Dorbickmon told me to deal with you guys as soon as I found you!"

"Well, apparently, you didn't get the memo, because Dorbickmon just told me a few minutes ago that he was eager to fight us."

"W – What?! That's not possible! If Dorbickmon had changed his mind like that, he surely would've told me!" Flarerizamon stammered.

"Tomoya, this one's all yours," Takato said to his son, whose Digivice began to glow with the light of Digivolution.

"Candlemon Digivolve to, Wizardmon! Magical Game!" Wizardmon's wand fired a blast of electricity at the confused Flarerizamon, who was knocked to the ground.

"Hey, I wasn't finished thinking yet! Flame Tower!" Flarerizamon unleashed an enormous pillar of flames around Wizardmon. "Try all you like; you won't be able to escape from these flames! Raging Inferno!" Flarerizamon spread his flames around the other Digimon and the Digidestined. However, the flames were extinguished when an enormous Digimon arose from the ground, with the displaced soil and dirt smothering the flames. "Spinomon, look at what you just did! I had those Digidestined humans right where I wanted them, then along you come and ruin the whole damned thing!"

"You give them far too little credit, Flarerizamon," Spinomon growled.

"So why are you here, you big oaf?! Don't think for a minute that I'll let you claim all the glory of –"

"Silence, you insolent worm! There's a reason why General Dorbickmon trusts me more than you and your big mouth!" Spinomon snapped. "General Dorbickmon sent me to retrieve you, and he didn't exactly sound happy!" Spinomon did his best to conceal the widening smirk on his face, though without much success. Flarerizamon begrudgingly leaped through the tunnel Spinomon created without another word as Spinomon turned to face the Digidestined. "Don't consider yourselves lucky; Flarerizamon was weak. Don't count on getting rescued when you fight Dorbickmon." The Dinosaur Digimon turned to look at the mountain range the Devidramon had flown to. "Whenever you are ready to face him…that is where he will be waiting for you. We're looking forward to seeing how long you last against him, so try not to disappoint us." Spinomon burrowed back into the tunnel he had dug.

"Let's go," Takato stated, beginning to walk toward the mountains, soon followed by the others.

* * *

"You did WHAT?!" Dorbickmon roared.

"I…I just attacked those Digidestined like you asked me to do!" Flarerizamon protested.

"I asked you to keep an eye out for them, not flambé them! Cor blimey, mate, you could've killed them!"

"But I was…just…"

"SILENCE! You failed me, and I will not forgive FAILURE! Tyrant Collbrande!" Dorbickmon created a flaming sword in his hand, which he struck Flarerizamon with, instantly killing the Champion. "Honestly; the nerve of that little punk! Attacking _my_ prey like that!"

"I wouldn't put too much thought on the subject, sir; Flarerizamon was weak. Did you honestly expect someone like him to claim victory?" Spinomon inquired.

"Yeah…I guess you're right. I was really just pretending he was Splashmon. I can't wait to get my claws on that greedy, conniving, worthless piece of trash!"


	54. Fools Rush In

"Good, nobody saw us climbing up here," Takato sighed with relief. The group had just finished climbing the small mountain where Dorbickmon was said to be. On the top of the mountain they found a small fortress, which they entered from the side to find that it composed of a single room, but with multiple doors and windows for Digimon to enter and exit. At the back of the room was a large throne that Dorbickmon was currently sitting on. Throughout the room were several boulders, one of which the group was currently hiding behind.

"What difference does it make if they know we're coming?" Nate asked.

"That's precisely why we need to be discreet; these Death Generals are powerful, so if we can get a surprise attack on one, that could be enough to give us an advantage, and we need all the help we can get."

"What?! But…that's a cowardly strategy!" Nate shouted.

"I guess so, but it might be the only way to –"

"No! I refuse to take any part in a strategy like that! Agumon and I didn't spend all of our time bravely fighting those evil Digimon just so we can act like a bunch of pussies! Come on, Agumon; let's fight him like we've done with the others!" Nate ordered.

"Right behind you, boss! Agumon Warp Digivolve to, MetalTyrannomon!"

"Nate, stop it!" Takato whispered.

"You're going to ruin everything, dumbass!" Emerilla warned.

"Relax, I know what I'm doing!" Nate shouted from atop MetalTyrannomon's head as the Ultimate charged toward the throne Dorbickmon was on, much to the General's pleasure. "Attack him, now!"

"Mr. Matsuki, what are we going to do?" Mia asked. Takato said nothing, watching in silence as MetalTyrannomon prepared to attack.

"Giga Destroyer II!" MetalTyrannomon launched a missile from his hand that exploded directly in the Death General.

"All right; well done!" Nate shouted.

"Yes, that was very well done," Dorbickmon admitted, rising from the smoke caused by the explosion. "But if that's all you are able to do, then this little spar will soon be over!" Dorbickmon summoned a flaming sword in his right hand. "Now, show me what you're REALLY capable of!"

"Show him, MetalTyrannomon!" Nate commanded.

"You got it; Nuclear Laser!"

"Tyrant Collbrande!" Dorbickmon attacked MetalTyrannomon with his sword before the Ultimate could launch his attack, causing him to turn back into Agumon. "Please tell me you did not come here alone; it would be a huge waste of my time killing only the two of you!"

"Nate, get out of there!" Takato shouted as he and Guilmon ran out from behind the boulder. "We're the ones you really want to fight; leave them out of this!"

"Well then, by all means, fight me!" Dorbickmon sneered.

"Guilmon, are you ready? This is going to be a tough one!" Takato said, clutching his Digivice.

"I'm ready whenever you are!" Guilmon nodded.

"Biomerge, acti–"

"Devidramon, now!" Dorbickmon interrupted as the large Devidramon the group saw earlier flew out from behind Dorbickmon's throne and landed in front of Takato and Guilmon, his eyes glowing a bright red.

"Takato! I can't move!" Guilmon said.

"Perfect; those were the words I was waiting to hear!" Dorbickmon exclaimed, walking over to the smaller Rookie. "Take a good look at your Digimon partner, Takato, because I highly doubt you'll ever see him as he is now ever again! Burning the Dragon!" Dorbickmon summoned spiraling, dark flames around Guilmon, who began to howl in pain as he grew larger in size, and Takato soon recognized the savage form of Megidramon. Dorbickmon's flames soon dissipated, leaving the feral dragon glaring at his dazed partner. "Perfect; Megidramon is one of the strongest Dragon Digimon around! With him in my army, my ruling will be without flaw!"

"What makes you think he'll be joining _your_ army?!" Emerilla asked, running out from behind the boulder, followed closely by her friends. "He's still Takato's Digimon!"

"Perhaps he is, but take a look at his face! Is that the face a Digimon wears whilst looking at his or her Digimon partner?" Emerilla and the others looked at Megidramon, who looked as if he was about to murder Takato. "Why wouldn't he join me? After all, I will give him free reign to do as he pleases, to do what he does best; murder. Why would he want to stay with you, when you would force him to do otherwise?!"

"You monster!" Tomoya shouted.

"Call me what you like; it won't change the fact that there's nothing you can do to defeat me or my army! Megidramon, get rid of them!" Dorbickmon ordered. Megidramon slithered up to the group, preparing to launch a fire attack when an enormous Digimon crashed through one of the walls in Dorbickmon's fortress, snatching up the Digidestined, their Digimon, and Wisemon before flying back out, much to Dorbickmon's surprise. Megidramon, not noticing any change, attacked the vacant floor instead. "Damn it; Owryumon has decided to get in our way once again, has he?! Well, no matter; even with help from someone as powerful as him, they won't succeed…Megidramon, stop eating that boulder!"

* * *

"I trust you are all unharmed, Digidestined?" Owryumon asked once he deposited them in a cave on a mountain near Dorbickmon's fortress.

"Yeah, we are, but –"

"You wish to know who I am, do you not?" Owryumon finished. "My name is Owryumon, and I, like nearly every Digimon in the Digital World, am against the Death Generals, and everything they stand for. Now, Digidestined, this is going to be difficult for me to say, but…return to your world."

"WHAT?!" Emerilla shrieked.

"This is a Digimon problem, not a human one. Return to your home, and forget about this one! If you try to fight back, you will die!" Owryumon warned.

"We can't just ignore the Death Generals! Once they're finished here, they're coming to our world!" Mia said.

"Just go home with your Digimon; the Digimon in the Digital World will handle things in this world."

"We aren't going to leave!" Tomoya declared, and the huge Mega stared at him. "First of all, this is not a Digimon problem if the Death Generals decided to mix the human world up in this! Second of all, we can't leave now! That Dorbickmon turned my father's Digimon into a real monster; we can't just leave him behind! We need to find some way to turn him back to the way he was!"

"…There…isn't anything I can say to change your minds, is there?" Owryumon asked, and everyone, including Wisemon, shook their heads. Owryumon sighed. "All right…I'll take you back to Dorbickmon's fortress, but I will not be able to assist you in your battle. Is that clear?" Everyone nodded. "I truly do wish I could help you, but…I cannot. Now, as for returning Megidramon back into Guilmon, all you have to do is…"


	55. Breath of Wyvern

"I'm afraid I can do no more to assist you, Digidestined," Owryumon lamented as he flew them to Dorbickmon's castle, letting them off in front of it.

"We understand; thank you for all the help you've given us so far," Takato said.

"I hope the next time we meet, I will be able to assist you further," Owryumon said as he flew away. As soon as he was gone, the entire mountain began to tremble, and suddenly, Spinomon emerged from the ground in front of the group.

"Jeez, he could have at least stayed to help us fight _this_ guy!" Nate complained.

"General Dorbickmon has gotten all that he needs from you, Digidestined. If you leave now, we won't have to fight!" Spinomon roared.

"Well, I guess we're in for a fight, because we're not leaving without Guilmon!" Takato shouted.

"Have it your way; Blue Prominence!" Spinomon launched a blue ball of fire in his mouth, but before he could attack, he was hit from behind and instantly destroyed by Megidramon. The feral Mega slid closer and closer to the group, his sharp fangs bared as he came closer and closer to Takato.

"Takato, now!" Wisemon shouted, and Takato pulled out his Digivice, which generated a whip, much like the one he had seen Ryo use to control Cyberdramon, although his was colored gold. Takato used the whip to clamp Megidramon's mouth closed.

"Ok, I've got him! ...Now what?" Takato asked. "This was all Owryumon said to do, so I thought that it would work, but he's still acting as though he wants to kill me."

"We knock some sense into him," Tomoya said suddenly, and everyone else turned to look at him. "He' still in there; I can tell. I vaguely recall looking at DexMistymon's eyes when he was possessed; they were completely lifeless. I remember thinking that my friend had died forever when I looked into them…but now, when I look into Megidramon's eyes, they look completely different. Sure, they're filled with hate and anger, but…they just aren't the same as DexMistymon's were; in spite of all the rage that his eyes are filled with, I can tell that Guilmon is still in there somewhere, no matter how deep it may be. We just need to help him control himself."

"Tomoya…if you believe that strongly that you're right, then I believe in you, too!" Candlemon said. The two looked over at Takato, who nodded.

"Do what you think is right, son," Takato whispered.

"Candlemon Warp Digivolve to, Mistymon! Blast Fire!" Mistymon attacked and struck Megidramon's chest. Takato's whip disappeared as Megidramon was sent flying until he crashed into Dorbickmon's castle, the part which he collided into collapsed.

"Did that work?" Theo asked. Megidramon emerged from the rubble, slithering once again toward the group. Takato prepared to summon his whip when Megidramon spoke.

"Takato…? What's going on?" Megidramon asked sleepily.

"Guilmon – I mean, Megidramon, are you back?!" Takato exclaimed.

"What do you mean? Where have I been?" Megidramon asked before looking down at himself. "Oh…I'm like this again. I'm sorry, Takato; I didn't mean to turn into this form again…"

"It's ok…I'm just glad you're in control of yourself this time," Takato said. "Now…are you ready to fight Dorbickmon?"

"Well, isn't this just peachy, then?" Dorbickmon asked sarcastically, walking out of his fortress. "My wonderful castle has been bloody demolished, and the Digimon I worked so hard to get has now defected. What should we do, Devidramon?"

"I think we're going to have to kill them, sir," Devidramon replied. "Shall I?"

"Be my guest."

"Crimson Claw!"

"Megiddo Flame!" Megidramon exhaled flames that completely annihilated the attacking Champion, whose data was absorbed by Dorbickmon.

"Well, there goes the last soldier in my army," Dorbickmon lamented, summoning a flaming sword in his right hand. "I'd rather we just skip the formalities; Tyrant Collbrande!"

"Megiddo Flame!" Dorbickmon's tossed his sword through Megidramon's attack, striking him in the chest. Megidramon fell over on his back and turned back into Guilmon.

"All right; who wants to go next?" Dorbickmon asked as he retrieved his sword, eyeing Mistymon. "You have already Digivolved; perhaps you'd like to go next?" Mistymon raised his blade.

"No! Mistymon, don't do it!" Tomoya begged.

"If I don't stand up to him, then he will definitely win! He might kill me, but I'd rather die knowing that I did everything I could to stop him! Blast Fire!" Mistymon's attack disappeared as soon as it closed in on the General.

"If that is all you are capable of, then I wouldn't exactly be satisfied with dying if I were in your position!" Dorbickmon snarled, swinging his blade at Mistymon, who blocked the oncoming attack with his own sword. "Well, I have to admit, you are quite strong to block an attack like this; but this is where you go down!" Dorbickmon kneed Mistymon in the stomach, making him double over in pain. Dorbickmon then kicked him in the head, sending him flying into a boulder. "Honestly, I have no idea why Astamon had so much trouble dealing with you! I've fought stronger _Champion_ Digimon than that Mistymon! Dragon Breath-tonic Fire!"

_Mistymon! He's going to die again! And there's no way I can help him this time!_ Tomoya thought frantically, suddenly remembering the lock and key Sanzomon had given him. _This may not work, but it's better than doing nothing!_ Tomoya inserted his key into his lock and turned it. The top part of the lock opened up, much to the boy's surprise, and the lock itself and Mistymon began to glow bright red.

"Mistymon Digivolve to, Dynasmon!" Mistymon successfully Digivolved right before Dorbickmon's attack struck him; however, when the flames disappeared, Dynasmon was left unburned, his armor as bright and shiny as before.

"WHAT?! How is it possible that an attack _that_ strong didn't harm you?!" Dorbickmon inquired.

"Dorbickmon, you shall be the first of the Death Generals to fall; have you any last words?" Dynasmon asked.

"How about…Tyrant Collbrande?!"

"DNA Disintegrator!" Dynasmon charged the palms of his hands before firing spiraling beams from them at Dorbickmon's flaming sword, which promptly shattered, much to the Death General's shock. "Breath of Wyvern!" Dynasmon summoned the aura of a gigantic wyvern, which crashed into Dorbickmon and his fortress, which was completely demolished by the force of the attack. When the attack was finished, both Dynasmon and Dorbickmon lay on the ground, breathing heavily in exhaustion. However, Dorbickmon's data was beginning to fly away, signaling his death.

"Oh, bollocks…you really beat me, old chap…" Dorbickmon wheezed, and then grinned. "With that kind of strength…you just might be able to defeat the other Death Generals…" Dorbickmon laughed, and then the rest of his data flew away, unclaimed.

"Dynasmon, are you ok?!" Tomoya exclaimed.

"Yes, I shall be fine this time," Dynasmon replied, gradually climbing back onto his feet. "That attack is very powerful; I can't fully control it yet; I apologize if I harmed any of you."

"No, we're all ok," Wisemon stated.

"How did you Digivolve to the next level?!" Nate asked.

"It was the lock; I turned my key, and it started glowing, and the next thing I knew, Mistymon was Digivolving to Dynasmon," Tomoya said.

"Your Digimon…is very powerful," Takato said.

"Thank you, sir," Dynasmon said before turning back into Candlemon.

"In fact, I don't think you'll be having any more problems with the Death Generals; Dynasmon is definitely more powerful than Gallantmon, maybe even Beelzemon!"

"I'm sure we won't! Just watch; the next Death General we fight, Agumon will turn into his Mega level! Those Death Generals won't stand a chance against us!" Nate shouted.

"I'm glad you think so, because Guilmon and I are returning back home. He took quite a powerful hit from Dorbickmon, and I don't want to put him in another fight just yet."

"Don't worry, dad; we can handle things from here," Tomoya said. Takato and Guilmon left for the still-open portal back to Earth that MegaGargomon had opened earlier.

"So…now what do we do?" Mia asked.

"I know where the other Death Generals are," Wisemon said. "The closest one to this mountain range is NeoVamdemon; follow me to his territory."


	56. The Land Without Color

"Dorbickmon has fallen," NeoVamdemon said emotionlessly. Standing before him was his army of Devimon and LadyDevimon. "Our territory is closest to Dorbickmon's, so it is likely the Digidestined will come here next. Prepare yourselves for combat; we shall be victorious!" All the Devimon and LadyDevimon praised and cheered their Death General; all but one Devimon, that is.

_How do I get myself into these things?_ Devimon thought. _I hope the Digidestined are able to recognize me before they attack me…_

* * *

After roughly an hour of following Wisemon through a desert, the group finally came across a spiraling staircase that looked as though it was coming out of another dimension.

"Is this what you were leading us to, Wisemon?" Theo asked, and the Ultimate Digimon nodded.

"These stairs lead to the territory of the Death General NeoVamdemon," Wisemon stated.

"Guys, leave this Death General to me and Agumon!" Nate boasted as the two walked up the stairs.

"I swear, those two are going to get us all killed one day!" Emerilla moaned, begrudgingly following the two.

"Whoa, this place doesn't have any color!" Agumon shouted down the stairs. When the rest of the group finished climbing the stairs, they saw that Nate was correct; they had arrived in a village, and everything in sight, including the sky, was black, white, or grey.

"This realm is plagued by consistent nightfall; a perfect place for an Undead Digimon to rule," Wisemon said. "Do you all see that castle over there? That is where NeoVamdemon has taken claim. His army consists of a large number of Devimon and LadyDevimon."

"You mean like those Devimon and LadyDevimon?" Nate asked, pointing to a flock of Digimon in the sky.

"Yes, exactly like them."

"Everyone, get ready for battle!" Tomoya declared, getting out his Digivice as the flock of Undead Digimon surrounded them. Just when the Digimon were about to Digivolve, one of the Devimon suddenly attacked all the other Devimon and LadyDevimon, destroying every one of them with a single attack.

"Hello, Digidestined; it's been a while," Devimon said with a grin.

"Devimon?! What are you doing in NeoVamdemon's army?!" Nate asked.

"Hey, don't get the wrong idea, now! I was sort of…forced into his army. Believe me; I had no intention fighting you!" Devimon protested.

"How can we be sure that you're not just saying that so we can trust you?" Agumon asked.

"Well, I did just murder every soldier in NeoVamdemon's army; what further proof do you need?"

"Well, ok; I guess I believe you…" Nate admitted.

"Since you are all in this realm, I guess that can only mean that you've come to challenge the Death General here?" Devimon asked.

"Just leave him to me; Agumon will Digivolve to his Mega level and totally cream that evil Digimon!" Nate boasted.

"You bet I will!" Agumon added.

"Are you sure the two of you can handle him on your own?" Devimon asked.

"Who do you think you're talking to? Of course we can!" Nate exclaimed. Devimon sighed.

"Very well; I will lead you to the castle. Are you prepared to face him as of now?" Nate and Agumon nodded. "All right; once we enter NeoVamdemon's castle, we'll have to deal with a few Knightmon that are under his control. I won't have any problem returning them to the way they were. While I'm dealing with them, you lot head down the larger of the two corridors; that will lead you to NeoVamdemon's throne room. Ok?" Nate and Agumon nodded. "Follow me." Devimon lead the group, who was led by Nate and Agumon, to the monochrome castle.


	57. Deception

Once Devimon had gotten the group to NeoVamdemon's castle, he directed them down a corridor while he went down the other, and they soon came across a large door.

"Agumon, are you ready?" Nate asked his Digimon.

"I always am, Nate! Agumon Warp Digivolve to, MetalTyrannomon! Giga Destroyer II!" MetalTyrannomon attacked and destroyed the door to NeoVamdemon's lair to find the Death General sitting in a large throne similar to Dorbickmon's, and when the large Ultimate barged in, NeoVamdemon only grinned.

"I was wondering when you would all show up; tell me, where the members of my army truly that easy for you to defeat?" NeoVamdemon asked.

"We didn't defeat them; a Devimon in your army did," Nate replied.

"I see…so he decided to betray me after all. But to think a Digimon as powerful as that Devimon has joined sides with the Digidestined; this could be problematic," NeoVamdemon said to himself.

"Quit talking and start fighting! Are you ready to die?!" Nate asked.

"Die? Me? That is an impossible task to achieve for one as weak as you."

"Then get ready for a big surprise!" Nate shouted, pulling out his key and inserting it into his lock, but when he tried to turn it, it wouldn't budge.

"…Was I supposed to witness something?" NeoVamdemon asked dully.

"Why won't it work?! It worked when Tomoya did it!" Nate yelled.

"Gardiac Raid!" NeoVamdemon fired a beam of dark energy from his chest at MetalTyrannomon, who promptly fell down and turned back into Agumon.

"Agumon, no!" Nate shouted, running over to his Digimon. "Agumon, are you ok?! Speak to me!"

"Lilithmon, be a dear and finish them off for me." NeoVamdemon ordered.

"Anything for you, NeoVamdemon," the female Digimon standing beside him said with glee, walking over to the barely conscious Rookie. "What do you think will happen when I touch you with my right hand here?" Lilithmon revealed her hand, which was more like a golden claw. Nate stared blankly at her. Lilithmon grinned evilly and picked up a small rock with her left hand, gently tapping it with her right index finger. Instantly, the rock shattered into millions of pieces. "Everything this hand touches corrodes until there's nothing left. This won't take long!" Lilithmon raised her arm.

"Nate, get out of there!" Tomoya yelled.

"Come on, dumbass; run away!" Emerilla shrieked. Nate, however, did not hear them, and instead gazed with fright upon Lilithmon's claw.

"Tapirmon, you've got to help them!" Lilac said.

"Of course; Tapirmon Warp Digivolve to, Mammothmon!" Mammothmon ran over to Lilithmon and slammed her trunk on the Mega, knocking her down to the ground. "Come on, Nate; let's get you out of here!"

"Not so fast; Nazar Nail!" Lilithmon raked her hand across Mammothmon's side, and the large Ultimate fell over.

"MAMMOTHMON!" Lilac shrieked.

"Now, watch as your Digimon dies a slow painful death!" Lilithmon laughed. "Now to deal with you to!" the fur and muscle on Mammothmon's body decayed until only the skeleton was left. Lilithmon once again raised her arm in an attempt to finish off Nate and Agumon when the top half of the castle was blown away. "What the hell was that?!"

"Immortal Dragon King Blade!" Owryumon flew in through the opening in the castle he had just created and attacked Lilithmon with his swords.

"Damn it; I was so close to being able to destroy them, too!" Lilithmon snapped, attempting to cover the gaping, bleeding wounds Owryumon had created when, without warning, what appeared to be a tusk stabbed her clear through her back before tearing through her belly, much to her astonishment. Lilithmon turned her head – with some difficulty – to see what had attacked her to see that Mammothmon's skeleton had moved on its own. "H…How…is that possible? I thought I killed you!"

"You only saw what you _thought_ was my Digimon dying," Lilac said, a confident grin spread across her face. In her hands was her lock and key, with the lock opened in the same fashion as Tomoya's had earlier. "I got my idea as soon as you said your hand decayed everything that it touched. After telling it only to Tapirmon, she rushed in and purposely let herself get hit by your attack, and when she fell over, the loud noise it made covered up the small 'click' my lock made when it opened; what you thought was Mammothmon decaying was actually her Digivolution! Then, all she had to do was wait for you to get close enough for her to attack you!"

"But…how could you possibly have known what Digimon Mammothmon would Digivolve into?" Emerilla asked.

"Because of this," Lilac reached into her pocked and pulled out a Digimon card. "I got it a few days ago. As soon as I saw it, I knew this would be what Mammothmon would Digivolve into. Everyone, say hello to Mammothmon at her Mega level; SkullMammothmon!"

"Why did you keep this a secret from us? I was crying my eyes out when I thought she had died!" Candlemon whimpered.

"Sorry about that, but Tomoya's father said that a surprise attack like this would give us an advantage, and I only thought of the plan a few seconds ago."

"Lilac, would you like me to finish her off?" SkullMammothmon asked.

"Yes, please end her suffering!"

"Allow me; Bloody Stream Glade!" NeoVamdemon extended his arms and yanked the dying Lilithmon off SkullMammothmon's tusk before wrenching her apart, killing her as he absorbed her data. "A very impressive feat of trickery, girl with the indigo Digivice. Honestly, I could not have done better myself. Would you consider joining up with me? I'll spare the lives of both you and your Digimon."

"SkullMammothmon, finish him."

"Spiral Bone Crusher!" SkullMammothmon leaped and impaled NeoVamdemon's shoulders with her tusks, pinning him against the back of his throne.

"You fool! You could have ruled the Digital World by my side! Why would you throw all that away?!" NeoVamdemon screamed.

"I would never join anyone who harms anyone for no good reason, like you! SkullMammothmon, destroy him!"

"Gran Charge!" SkullMammothmon slammed her head on NeoVamdemon's, and slowly, his data began to dissipate, never to be seen again. Lilac breathed a sigh of relief as SkullMammothmon turned back into Tapirmon.

"Lilac, that was…very well done! I didn't know you had it in you to pull off something like that!" Mia said.

"Thank you," Lilac said quietly, blushing. "I'm not sure if I should be proud of deception, though…" Lilac absentmindedly walked over to Nate, who was on his knees beside Agumon. "Are you two ok?"

"…Agumon…nearly died because of me…because of my thick-headedness," Nate whispered.

"It's about time you realize that that can get you killed!" Emerilla barked.

"Don't worry, Nate; they're gone. They aren't going to hurt you anymore," Lilac whispered gently, helping Nate stand up.

"I'm…not being of any help to you guys, am I," Nate said.

"Well…I wouldn't exactly go _that_ far," Emerilla admitted.

"Go ahead, say it; I'm not being of any help to you guys at all, and it's because I'm too thickheaded to know what I'm doing!" Nate shouted. "If I wasn't around, you guys might stand a better chance of defeating the Death Generals…"

"Nate, what are you saying?!" Tomoya asked.

"I'm…completely useless; I'm just slowing all of you down! Come on, Agumon; let's go!" Nate said, helping Agumon stand up.

"Nate, where are you going?" Mia asked.

"I'm going my own way for now…I'll come back if I can learn to control myself. That might not happen for a while, though…" Nate turned to exit what was left of the monochrome castle.

"Nate, come back!" Tomoya yelled.

"Leave him be," Owryumon replied.

"What are you saying?!"

"He feels that he must do this…for the good of the Digital World. If you force him to stay, that will only make things worse."

"Will we ever see him again?" Theo asked.

"Don't worry; I'm sure you will."

* * *

"TWO?! Those damned humans already defeated two Death Generals?!" Splashmon roared. "Dorbickmon and NeoVamdemon, no less! They could be coming after _me_ next! All right, time to pay a visit to –"

"To who?" Gravimon asked from behind Splashmon.

"You, of course!" Splashmon exclaimed with a wide grin on his face.

"What do you want from me?"

"Well, as I am sure you are aware, the Digidestined just managed to defeat both Dorbickmon and NeoVamdemon, so I was a little concerned –"

"That they may be targeting you next?" Gravimon finished. "Don't worry, Splashmon; you have absolutely no reason to be concerned. I assure you that when the Digidestined come after you – that is, if they are able to defeat Zamielmon."

"What do you mean 'if'?! Dorbickmon and NeoVamdemon were powerful, and Zamielmon is weak!"

"Do not speak ill of Zamielmon's power; his strength has surprised even me," Gravimon warned.

"Yeah, whatever. Anyway, when the Digidestined come –"

"I shall be right there by your side to assist you when that time comes; in fact, I shall remain here with you until they are destroyed."

"Thank you, Gravimon," Splashmon bowed, then left.

"Idiot…he honestly expects me to coddle him like that?!" Gravimon snorted.


	58. Betrayal

"This is the territory of the next Death General, Zamielmon," Owryumon said. "Be careful; he is a lot more powerful than he appears."

"Don't worry, Owryumon; we won't get careless," Tomoya replied.

"Again, I apologize for not being able to accompany you. The Death Generals have taken…someone very close to me, so I must thoroughly search all seven territories to find her. Please understand."

"We understand; thank you for all the help you've given us so far," Mia said.

"I'll be helping Owryumon in his search, so hopefully, we'll find his friend sooner so we can help you out more," Devimon said.

"Good luck, you guys!" Candlemon shouted as the two Digimon flew away.

"Wisemon, exactly how does Zamielmon fight?" Theo asked.

"He tends to show up out of the blue with an army of Snimon, and is one of the fastest Digimon you may ever see, if not the fastest," Wisemon replied, looking across the territory, Honey Land, for any sign of the Death General, then suddenly gasped.

"What is it, Wisemon? Are they here?!" Tomoya asked, and the Ultimate slowly nodded. "Candlemon, are you ready?!"

"Always; Candlemon Digivolve to, Wizardmon!"

"Tapirmon Digivolve to, Unimon!"

"Lunamon Digivolve to, Lekismon!"

"Hawkmon Digivolve to, Thunderbirdmon!"

"Betamon Digivolve to, Seadramon!"

"Salamon Digivolve to, Darcmon!"

"Hold on; they aren't preparing to attack!" Wisemon noted, and just as he said, the group of Snimon landed on the ground in front of the group, and didn't move another muscle as Zamielmon flew from the center of his army.

"Pleasure to see you all again, Digidestined," Zamielmon stated calmly, approaching the group slowly. "I thought there were seven of you?"

"What do you want, Zamielmon?" Tomoya asked.

"Right to the point, huh? I like that," Zamielmon grinned. "Well, I figure this request might get turned down, but it never hurts to ask; will you Digidestined consider surrendering? I promise not to attack any of you if you do!"

"Why would we do something like that?!" Tomoya asked.

"I'm not much of a fighter, to be honest," Zamielmon shrugged.

"Don't listen to him!" Wisemon ordered. "He may be small, but his aim is deadly accurate!"

"I don't think we'll have too much problem with this guy, anyway," Theo replied.

"Don't forget what Owryumon told us, guys; he told us not to underestimate him in any way," Tomoya said.

"Come on, how difficult could this be? He's not exactly the most threatening Digimon we've had to fight!" Mia said. Zamielmon, who didn't even come close to reaching her waist in height, looked up at Mia with interest.

"So…am I to assume that you'll continue to resist us Death Generals?" Zamielmon asked, not once averting his eyes away from Mia.

"Wizardmon, attack!" Tomoya ordered.

"Electro Squall!" Wizardmon attacked and destroyed one of the Snimon.

"Well, I was afraid of this…Snimon, keep them busy for me, would you?" Zamielmon requested, and his army of Snimon instantly attacked the partnered Digimon.

"Damn it, there's too many of them!" Wizardmon groaned as the large number of Snimon separated the six Digimon.

"Twin Sickles!" the largest of the Snimon attacked Thunderbirdmon, sending him straight up into the sky.

"Thunderbirdmon, Digivolve again!" Theo yelled, aiming his key at the falling Champion.

"Thunderbirdmon Digivolve to, Parrotmon! Mjollnir Lightning!" Parrotmon unleashed a powerful thunderbolt from his forehead and attacked all the Snimon at once, instantly killing all of them.

"Excellent job, Parrotmon," Theo said as his partner landed on the ground next him.

"Damn it, Zamielmon's gone!" Tomoya grunted, walking around and looking around for the Death General before suddenly stopping.

"Tomoya, what's wrong?" Lilac asked.

"Mia's gone too."

* * *

"Nate, when do you plan on going back to the others?" Agumon asked as the two were walking around a deserted city. Nate ignored him. "Ah, boss, you know I'm not mad at you or anything for almost getting me killed! Wait, that didn't come out right…" Nate continued to ignore Agumon, who sighed. "Why did you even leave in the first place? I don't believe for one second that it's because you think you're useless to them!" Nate stopped walking, and turned to face the Rookie.

"I just…I'm tired of getting everyone into dangerous situations like I've been doing, you know? If I'm far away from them, then nothing bad will happen to them…" Nate turned around and continued walking aimlessly through the city.

"So, why are we here?" Agumon inquired.

"It's just the first place we were able to find."

"Yeah, well, can we leave soon? This place is giving me the creeps!" Agumon yelled. "This city is way too deserted to be as big as it is!"

"Yeah…sure…" The two continued to walk for about another hour before Agumon collapsed. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, kneeling down.

"Sorry, Nate…I'm kind of hungry…" Agumon said weakly, and then became unconscious. Nate looked around frantically, wondering what to do when a lone Digimon approached them.

"Sorry to intrude, but the two of you look as though you're having problems," the Digimon said. Nate turned around to see none other than the Death General Splashmon, who smirked at the boy's fright. "Have no fear; I mean neither of you any harm. May I ask what happened to the other Digidestined that you were traveling with?"

"We've…gone our separate ways for now," Nate replied hesitantly.

"Oh? Does that mean that you are no longer a Digidestined?" Splashmon asked.

"I don't…I'm not sure…"

"You're not sure? What do you mean?"

"…Sometimes, I don't know why someone like me was chosen to be a Digidestined," Nate replied after a long silence. "What makes someone as reckless as me so special? Why was I chosen to be a Digidestined when I could've just as easily ended up on the enemy's side with you Death Generals?"

"Well…there might be only one way to find out, you know," Splashmon said, and Nate looked up at the tall Death General. "You've tried your hand at being a Digidestined…why don't you join me?" Nate stared at Splashmon. "The only way for you to truly know which side you belong on is to side with both." Splashmon held out his hand. "Come with me, Nathan; I shall help you decide. Join me; join the Death Generals!" After a moment's thought, Nate finally relented and grabbed Splashmon's hand as the Death General helped him stand up. "Excellent decision, Nate; I'll see to it that your Digimon is well fed."


	59. Freedom

_Where…am I? Am I back in the real world?_ Mia thought as her eyes slowly opened, only to discover that she was still in the Digital World, and was tied haphazardly to a stake with rope. _Well, so much for that…wait, why am I tied to a stake?!_ Mia looked around frantically, and soon found that Darcmon was also tied to a stake right next to her. "Darcmon, what's going on?!"

"We've been sentenced to death," Darcmon whispered.

"Exactly!" Zamielmon laughed as he walked up to Mia, followed by two Digimon Mia couldn't recognize. "I told you to surrender, didn't I? For continuing to fight against us Death Generals, you have been sentenced to death." Zamielmon grinned as wide as possible at Mia. "I have had the pleasure of tasting human flesh before. Not too bad, I must say, but I have only ever tasted it raw. I do wonder how it will taste cooked!"

"Y – You plan on eating me?!" Mia screamed.

"Well, I do admit that you're a little too scrawny compared to the others I've eaten, but I'm a hungry Digimon – I don't exactly have the patience or time necessary to fatten you up a little."

_Well, so much for attempting to delay the inevitable…and for getting a snack! _Mia thought bitterly as she frantically tried to reach into her pocket.

"Shadramon, get ready to attack!" Zamielmon ordered.

"Yes, sir!" the two Digimon behind the Death General saluted him.

"Oh, and…make sure the girl is medium rare, 'k? Make sure there's nothing left of the Digimon's data!"

"Understood, sir! Flash Buster!" the two Shadramon shrouded themselves in flames just as Mia pulled out her key and pointed it at Darcmon, who began to glow with the light of Digivolution.

"Darcmon Digivolve to, Angewomon! Heaven's Charm!" Angewomon broke free from the rope and attacked the two Shadramon with a ray of light that instantly killed the two Digimon.

"Huh…well, it looks like I'll be having dinner raw tonight," Zamielmon said, mildly sad.

"Celestial Arrow!" Angewomon fired an arrow at Zamielmon, but the minute Death General flew behind Angewomon faster than the blink of an eye.

"Arrow Lance!" Zamielmon fired arrows from his hands through Angewomon's wings, pinning her to the ground. "Should've just let the Shadramon deal with you; would've been a lot less painful than this; The World Shot!"

"Breath of Wyvern!" the aura of a gigantic wyvern crashed into Zamielmon, stopping him from attacking.

"Mia!" Tomoya shouted as he ran toward the girl. "Mia, are you ok?!"

"Tomoya, he was going to eat me; no, I am not fine!" Mia shouted as Tomoya untied the ropes around her. When she was freed, she immediately hugged him. "Thank you…for coming."

"Uh, yeah…no problem…" Tomoya said, his face turning red.

"Tomoya, I can't hit him!" Dynasmon yelled before getting his by more of Zamielmon's arrows. "What should I do?!" Just before Tomoya could offer a suggestion, another of Zamielmon's attacks hit Dynasmon in the back of the head, making him turn back into Candlemon.

"Guys, don't come near him!" Candlemon warned. "He's…too powerful!"

"Well, now, that won't do any good! I am a sniper! Turbulence Arrow!" Zamielmon flailed his arms and fired four arrows, which hit Parrotmon, Lekismon, Seadramon, and Unimon, making the three Champions turn back into their Rookie levels. "You fools never stood a chance against me! Now, perish, flawed ones!" Zamielmon readied the large arrow on his stomach and prepared to fire it.

_This attack…if it hits us, we're dead! There must be someone who can stop him!_ Theo looked at the Digimon, suddenly remembering that Parrotmon was still at the Ultimate level. _Please, let this work; it's the only chance any of us have! _Theo pulled out his lock and inserted his key, which he turned until he heard the lock click, and Parrotmon became enveloped in a bright green light.

"Parrotmon Digivolve to, Eaglemon!"

"The World Shot!" Zamielmon fired the oversized arrow from his abdomen at the unconscious Rookie Digimon just as Eaglemon flew in front of them to take the hit, causing the arrow to shatter into hundreds of pieces. "Well, isn't this a surprise? Another Digivolution to the Mega level! Allow me to see if you are as powerful as the Digimon who took down Dorbickmon and NeoVamdemon! Arrow Lance!"

"Kaiser Phoenix!" Eaglemon became enveloped in a flaming aura as he flew at top speed headfirst through a barrage of arrows, easily destroying all of them, and rammed into the minute Death General, instantly killing him.

"Three Death Generals down…" Tomoya sighed.

"Only four left to fight!" Candlemon replied optimistically.

"Are you all ready for me to take you to the territory of the next Death General?" Wisemon asked, and everyone in the group nodded. "Very well; follow me." Wisemon lead the group out of the forest, unaware they were being watched by another Digimon in the trees.

"Well now, they beat Zamielmon," Gravimon said to himself. "The look on that boy's face when he freed the girl…yes, I believe the girl might be a weakness of his. Now, how to exploit that weakness…there are so many ways, I can't decide! Oh, it looks as if they're headed for Splashmon's city, now; guess I'd better warn him…just to see the look on his face!"

* * *

"Splashmon, the Digidestined are coming!" Gravimon yelled, running over to the other Death General when he found him. "Hey, isn't this…one of the Digidestined?"

"Yes, I was able to convince him to join us," Splashmon replied, a prideful smirk on his face. "I'll just make him fight his old friends; they won't have the guts to fight who they think is a friend!"

"Ah, very ingenious plan! I take it you won't be needing my assistance anymore?" Gravimon asked. _Not like I'll be staying here much longer either way…_

"Well, that's what I'd like to say, but would you mind staying a little longer just in case? I'd like to have a witness to my victory!"

"If that is what you'd wish, I'd be more than happy to oblige!" Gravimon bowed, crossing his fingers behind his back.

"Excellent; now, if you'll excuse me, I have something I need to do," Splashmon said before walking away.

"Well, it is a pleasure to have you on our side! Your name is Nate, is it not?" Gravimon asked, holding out his hand for Nate to shake, but the Digidestined didn't take it.

"Come with me," Nate whispered, leading Gravimon down a hallway.

"Where are you taking me?" Gravimon asked before Nate lead him to a door, which he opened by entering a password on a box next to the door (sorry, can't think of what they're called. :( ) Nate and Agumon lead the tall Death General to a prison cell, and he gasped when he saw who was inside it. "Is that…Zephyrmon?!" Nate nodded.

"The one Splashmon said he failed to capture…the one Splashmon kept secret from you this whole time…" Zephyrmon glared at Nate while he spoke.

"But why would he keep her capture a secret from us? No less at the expense of making himself out to be a fool!"

"I would've asked him the same, sir, but after thinking about why he would've kept her capture a secret, I didn't exactly want to hear the answer…"

"Well…this gives me even more reason to abandon him here," Gravimon said, turning away.

"You were never planning on helping him?" Agumon asked.

"No…to be honest, I never liked Splashmon, so I'm hoping your former allies will be strong enough to destroy him. Also, I'll be sure to tell Olegmon and Apollomon about you joining our side in case you run into them." With that, Gravimon turned to leave.

"How could you?!" Zephyrmon hissed, and Nate and Agumon turned to look at her. "How could you join with the Death Generals?! You're Digidestined! You're supposed to fight against evil scum like them!" Without another word, Nate opened the door to Zephyrmon's cell, unlocking the shackles around Zephyrmon's wrists and ankles with his key. "…What are you doing? Just…whose side are you on?! Make up your mind!"

"I honestly don't care what you think about me, Zephyrmon, but I am not aligned with the Death Generals; I'm only making them think I am to cause as much discord as possible," Nate finished unlocking the locks, then helped the trembling Zephyrmon stand up.

"Well, I'm sorry I doubted you, then…"

"It's like Tomoya's father said; any surprise attack we can get on them could give us a huge advantage, and we need all the help we can get. I tried doing that against NeoVamdemon, but it almost got Agumon killed. Do you need any help getting out of here?"

"If you could just help me exit the building…I should be able to find my way out of the city just fine…"

"Are you sure? If I weren't holding you up, you'd still be on the floor!" Nate exclaimed.

"Don't worry…I'll be fine…somehow," Zephyrmon put her arm around Nate's shoulders as he practically carried her through the building. "Also, just for the record…Splashmon never…you know…"

"Glad to hear it…saves me from having to murder the bastard myself."


	60. The City of Death

"Nate, you don't have to keep helping me walk; I can find my way out by myself," Zephyrmon whispered as Nate practically dragged her through an alley in Splashmon's city, but Nate just shook his head.

"I'm helping you until we find the others, ok?" Nate asked. "The only reason you're standing up right now is because I'm here holding you up, you know, and I'm not about to abandon you in the middle of this city."

"…Thank you, Nate. But how do you know that they'll be here anytime soon?"

"I parted ways with them just after NeoVamdemon was killed, so it was pretty obvious that they would be here soon, based on how much powerful their Digimon at the Mega level are compared to the Death Generals."

"They're close," Agumon whispered, sniffing the air. "They should be over there!" Agumon pointed to the exit of the alley as he and Nate hid behind a pair of trash cans.

"Thank you for all the help you've given me, Nate," Zephyrmon said as she let go of the Digidestined, and she would've fallen down had Nate not grabbed her. "I'm fine, I can do this…"

"All right…just make sure not to mention me at all, ok?" Nate asked, and Zephyrmon slowly nodded as she walked unsteadily out of the dark alley.

"When are we going to join up with them again?" Agumon asked.

"When there's nothing left for us to do to the Death Generals; Gravimon honestly believes us to be on the same side, remember? We could really use that to our advantage."

"Yeah, I know, but I miss our friends!"

"Me too, but it's going to be something that we'll have to get used to. Come on," Nate walked away from his friends, followed by Agumon.

* * *

"What's with this place? There are all these buildings in this city, but there isn't anyone around," Theo noted.

"Remember, this is Cyber Land, Splashmon's territory; he holds no trust for anyone other than himself," Wisemon replied.

"What an idiot; why bother having all these buildings if there's nobody around to live in them?" Emerilla asked.

"Because he's working on creating an army of puppet Digimon that move entirely on his will," a weak, trembling voice answered.

"Zephyrmon! Oh my god, what happened to you?!" Mia exclaimed, helping the weak Digimon stand up.

"Splashmon captured me…he only fed me one slice of bread and one small cup of water a day…" Zephyrmon's voice was raspy, and she sounded exhausted.

"How were you able to escape?! Just…look at you! You can't even stand up!" Tomoya exclaimed. In the time Zephyrmon had spent with Splashmon, her muscles had completely atrophied, and she was barely anything more than skin and bone; her stomach was completely caved in and her ribs were showing, and the feathers on her wings were muddled and without their usual luster.

"I just…got lucky, I suppose…"

* * *

"They've finally arrived," Splashmon moaned, watching the Digidestined through a window high up in one of his buildings. "Wait a minute…is that Zephyrmon?!" Splashmon screeched through his teeth. "How did she escape?! Have I…been betrayed?! Gravimon! Nathan! Where is everybody?! How did my prisoner escape?!" Splashmon looked down the hallways of the building, expecting to see either Nate or Gravimon come running to him, but after a while, he finally realized that he was alone, and that nobody would help him. "Fine; I'll just have to deal with them myself, even if it brings my own demise!" Splashmon leaped through the window and landed in front of the Digidestined as adeptly as a cat.

"Splashmon, you monster; how could you do this to Zephyrmon?!" Tomoya yelled.

"Well, this is going to be difficult for me to admit, but…Zephyrmon _used_ to be very beautiful; I just couldn't let a Digimon more beautiful than myself walking – or rather, flying – around free." Splashmon grinned broadly. "And just look at how successful I was; I ruined that 'perfect' beauty that she had no right to have! Now she's nothing but an ugly pile of skin, bones, and lackluster feathers! Aren't I a genius?!" Splashmon began to laugh evilly.

"You're a _freak_!" Dalton shouted, and Splashmon stopped laughing. "What kind of monster tortures someone like that just because of jealousy?!"

"…I take it by your tone that you at least _partially_ agree with me? You know, the part about me successfully ruining her 'beauty?'"

"…No. No matter how you look at it, Zephyrmon still is – and always will be – the most beautiful person in either the Human or Digital World! You can't come even marginally close to being able to compare yourself to her, neither on the outside or the inside!" Dalton retorted.

"You…you abominable twat! How dare you insult me?! Hydro Pressure!" Splashmon shot water of high speed and pressure from his fingertips just as Dalton's Digivice began to glow.

"Betamon Digivolve to, Seadramon! Ice Blast!" Seadramon attacked and froze Splashmon's attack all the way down to his hand and wrist, preventing him from moving it.

"You bastard! Hydro Pressure!" This time, Dalton pulled out his key and pointed it at Seadramon.

"Seadramon Digivolve to, MegaSeadramon! Lightning Javelin!" MegaSeadramon fired a powerful lightning strike from the blade on his head directly at Splashmon's attack, conducting itself all the way to Splashmon's body, making him scream in pain when the attack hit him before dropping to his hands and knees. "You are the next to be lost, Splashmon; any last words?" To MegaSeadramon's surprise, Splashmon stood back up.

"I might be the next one to die, but I swear on what little life I have left that I am taking at least one of you with me!" Splashmon unzipped the chucks on his body and immediately turned into a terrifying beast. "This is my true form, known as Darkness Mode! However, because this side of is – against my will, mind you – simply hideous, I loathe having to reveal it, but I might was well use it to my advantage for once; Tiger Typhoon!" Splashmon generated a massive flood that knocked MegaSeadramon back through several buildings through the city. Splashmon then lunged and pounced on MegaSeadramon, grabbing his slender neck in his jaws.

"I've got to help!" Zephyrmon said, standing up straight.

"Wait, where are you going?!" Mia asked. "You're not strong enough to face him right now!"

"That doesn't matter; what matters is that Splashmon must be stopped! Hurricane Gale!" Zephyrmon attacked the side of Splashmon's face, making him drop MegaSeadramon. Splashmon, completely forgetting about MegaSeadramon, turned to attack Zephyrmon.

"Candlemon, help her out!" Tomoya ordered.

"You too, Salamon!" Mia added.

"Candlemon Warp Digivolve to, Mistymon! Blast Fire!"

"Salamon Warp Digivolve to, Angewomon! Celestial Arrow!" The two Ultimate Digimon attacked, but the Death General leaped over the two attacks and pinned the two Digimon to the ground with his claws.

"Well, this seemed to work when the others did it," Dalton said to himself, inserting his key into his lock, turning it until the lock opened, and MegaSeadramon became enveloped in a bright yellow light.

"MegaSeadramon Digivolve to, Aegisdramon! Tera Hydro Breath!" Aegisdramon unleashed a powerful shot of water from his mouth which he used to attack the Death General, freeing Mistymon and Angewomon from his claws.

"Tiger Typhoon!" Splashmon attacked Aegisdramon once again, making him fall to the ground as he prepared to attack again. "This attack should end you! Tiger –"

"Hurricane Gale!" Zephyrmon once again attacked Splashmon, stopping his attack on Aegisdramon.

"I've had just about enough of you!" Splashmon lunged at Zephyrmon and bit down as hard as he could on her sides. "Now, die, you miserable wench!"

"Aegisdramon…attack now…while he's distracted…" Zephyrmon whispered.

"What?! No! How could I –"

"Please…I'm dying anyway…help me; end my suffering, and…destroy…Splashmon…" Splashmon bit down harder, and a pool of blood was beginning to form below Zephyrmon. "AHHHH! NOW!"

"…Shine Breaker!" Aegisdramon simultaneously fired all the cannons on his body at Splashmon, instantly destroying both him and Zephyrmon, with Zephyrmon muttering her thanks before her data disappeared.

"Zephyrmon…even though she was completely unable to fight, she gave her all to help us," Mia said softly.

"If it weren't for her, we would surely all be dead; Zephyrmon died a valiant, noble death," Aegisdramon said before turning back into Betamon.

"…Wisemon, which Death General is closest to us?" Tomoya asked.

"That would be Olegmon, cruising around the sea on his massive ship," Wisemon replied.


	61. The Golden Ocean

"As soon as you make it to the top of this hill, you'll be able to see Olegmon's ocean," Wisemon said. "The ocean is made entirely out of gold, and Olegmon is able to submerge his ship entirely underneath it and emerge instantaneously in a surprise attack." Tomoya looked across the vast landscape with a quizzical look on his face.

"…This isn't right," Tomoya said quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"I've been here before…yeah! This is about where Mercurymon lives!"

"So, what's not right about it?" Theo asked.

"When I was here, there were a lot of mountains, with the tallest one being where Mercurymon lived! But now, that one seems to be the only one left! And this ocean; it wasn't here when I visited Mercurymon!"

"Olegmon created this ocean by himself; Tomoya, you may not have noticed when you last visited this area, but Mercurymon's mountain lies within a large canyon. However, when Olegmon claimed this area as his territory, Gold Land, and flooded it with his ocean of gold, only that mountain, which is the only one taller than the edge of the canyon we are standing on, was left; all other mountains are below the surface. The flood was instantaneous, and any Digimon living on the submerged mountains likely drowned unless they were able to climb Mercurymon's mountain in time," Wisemon said.

"Ah, so you've heard of me, then? I'm so flattered!" a booming voice laughed, making the entire golden ocean quake.

"That's him; Olegmon's here!" Wisemon exclaimed as an enormous ship broke through the surface of the golden ocean, and standing upon the highest mast was none other than a broadly-grinning Olegmon, and a Digimon that Theo recognized as Mermaimon standing next to him.

"Digidestined…a question then for you; a vicious and bloody battle against me that you have no hope winning, or complete and total submission to me. Which of the two options will you select, I wonder?" Olegmon inquired.

"Why do you Death Generals continue to think that we'll just surrender and join up with you?!" Tomoya asked.

"Come now, you have yet to hear my reasoning!" Olegmon protested. "I was not asking you to join the Death Generals; in fact, to hell with Gravimon and Apollomon! I want the lot of you to join _me_!"

"What's the difference?" Theo asked.

"You see, this whole 'taking over the worlds' thing seems so…cliché to me. The only reason I'm with the other Death Generals is because they granted me an army, and I have big plans for that army."

"Like what?" Tomoya asked suspiciously, causing Olegmon to grin.

"I'm looking to get revenge on a certain Digimon. Perhaps you've heard of him; they call him Mercurymon the Seer."

"What?! Why would anybody want to get revenge on a Digimon like that?! He's as neutral as the come!" Candlemon yelled.

"That's part of the reason I want to kill the son of a bitch! The asshole told me my first mate – my best friend in the entire world, at that – would soon betray me and that the betrayal would lead to me own demise! So, in order to save my own life, I murdered him; my best friend, DarkVolumon…only to later discover that my murder would be in cold blood! That stupid fortuneteller actually had the nerve to come crawling back to me later, telling me the vision he showed me had been manipulated by some other Digimon! I attacked the git, but he's way too strong for me! Those mirrors of his have the power to reflect the attack of any Digimon that attacks him, down to the exact power and speed of the attack! So, naturally, a Digimon as powerful as me was flung aside like a weakling! That is why I need an army; to murder Mercurymon for making me murder my friend, and because I am not strong enough to defeat him on my own. Would you like to join me?"

"You know, I went to see Mercurymon once; he nearly made me kill one of my friends," Tomoya admitted. "Well, he didn't make me attempt to kill him, and he never came back to me to tell me that his vision was manipulated."

"Ah, so I have sympathy from you, then! Glad to hear it! So I can expect cooperation from you!"

"You have no reason to take your anger out on Mercurymon!" Tomoya shouted. "The vision he gave to you was manipulated by another Digimon, which is not his fault in the slightest! You have no right to take his life!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right…you know, you've given me an idea! Instead of trying to murder him, I'll just get him to tell me who manipulated his vision!"

"But, General Olegmon, Mercurymon never gives straight answers for questions like that," Mermaimon chimed in.

"Oh, yeah…I'll just have to force the answer out of him! That might take some doing, but it's far less bloody than attempting to murder him. Are you Digidestined in or not?!" Olegmon asked.

"No way! We are not going to help you beat up an innocent Digimon!" Mia retorted.

"Aww, that's too bad…are you sure there isn't any way I could convince you to come with me?" Olegmon pleaded.

"All right, I'm through with having to listen to this guy speak; Betamon, take care of him," Dalton said, pulling out his key in unison with the other Digidestined to make their Digimon Digivolve.

"Candlemon Warp Digivolve to, Mistymon!"

"Lunamon Warp Digivolve to, Crescemon!"

"Hawkmon Warp Digivolve to, Parrotmon!"

"Salamon Warp Digivolve to, Angewomon!"

"Betamon Warp Digivolve to, MegaSeadramon!"

"Tapirmon Warp Digivolve to, Mammothmon!"

"I guess that would be a 'no,'" Olegmon said disappointedly. "In that case…GAPPO GAPPO, VIVA OLEGNA!" Olegmon's chant shrilly echoed throughout the air.

_Damn it…that stupid chant is so loud I can barely hear myself think!_ MegaSeadramon thought as Mistymon unexpectedly swung his sword at the Sea Animal Digimon. "Mistymon, what the hell are you doing?! We're supposed to be on the same side!" Mistymon did not respond, and instead attacked MegaSeadramon with his Blast Fire. MegaSeadramon then looked over to the Death General to find him laughing, unsurprisingly, as Parrotmon, Angewomon, and Crescemon prepared to attack MegaSeadramon. "So, that stupid chant is controlling everyone but me, huh? Looks like it's up to me to save the day!"

"Freezing Breath!" Without warning, Mammothmon attacked and instantly froze Parrotmon, Angewomon, Crescemon, and Mistymon in place before turning back into Tapirmon. "MegaSeadramon, you have to get us out of here!"

"What? You mean…that chant didn't control you or anything?" MegaSeadramon asked.

"MegaSeadramon, come on; the others are acting pretty strange, too!" Dalton yelled, and to MegaSeadramon's immense relief, Dalton, Lilac, and Wisemon all seemed unaffected by the chant as they climbed on his back.

"Hold on tight, then!" MegaSeadramon commanded as he dived into the golden ocean, swimming as fast as he could away from Olegmon.

"Looks like we've got a few stragglers, Olegmon; would you like me to hunt them down for you?" Mermaimon asked.

"No, let them be; I'm certain we'll meet up with them again," Olegmon said. "Viking Buffet!" Olegmon swung his massive axes at the frozen Digimon, freeing them from the ice. "Everyone, onto my ship! I'd say it's time we hunt down that bastard Mercurymon!"

* * *

A/N: It might be a while before I update again, because I'm going to my dad's house tomorrow, and I won't be back to my laptop (I could take it with me, but it won't be able to go online) until Monday, but by then I'll have Fire Emblem: Awakening…


	62. Thus Always to Tyrants

A/N: Yeah, I'm not dead…yet…enjoy :D

* * *

"I don't understand, Wisemon; why did you have me land here?" Betamon asked.

"I believe I already told you; I wish to speak with Mercurymon," Wisemon replied, not bothering to look at the small Rookie as he spoke.

"Yes, I know that, but you've done nothing but sit and look at the horizon for nearly a day! Don't you think it would be a better idea to just go to his cave ourselves?"

"He'll come when he's ready," Wisemon replied calmly, still looking at the horizon.

"One more thing; this is where Olegmon is coming, isn't it? Why would you have us wait here knowing that a Death General is on his way as we speak?!"

"Olegmon's sea of gold is vast and nearly endless; it will take him days on end to reach the mountain he seeks," a voice from behind Betamon answered when Wisemon would not.

"I was wondering when you were going to show yourself…Mercurymon," Wisemon said stiffly, standing up to face the newly arrived mystic.

"Come now; is that any way to speak to your younger brother?" Mercurymon asked.

"YOUNGER BROTHER?!" Betamon yelled. "You never told us you…he…" Wisemon stared at the befuddled Rookie. "Oh, never mind; I'll just go and try to find Dalton and Lilac, see if they need any help finding food…"

"If they have yet to already, try the large tree on the southwestern face of the mountain," Mercurymon suggested.

"You got it!" Betamon hollered as he disappeared into the forest.

"So, Wisemon, why the dour tone of voice upon my arrival? We haven't so much as spent the smallest amount of time in the same hemisphere of the Digital World in many a year!"

"I have a request for you, futile though it may be to ask–"

"I cannot fight alongside you, brother," Mercurymon said emphatically.

"…Not once have I ever seen you so much as lift a finger to harm anyone. Even when we were young children, I fought for the both of us, though I did so of my own free will. I did so because I not only felt like I had to do your share of the fighting, brother, but because I wanted to. Not anymore, Merc. If you aren't going to help us fight the remaining Death Generals, I want to know why you've never once fought!"

"…My…profession forbids it."

"Your PROFESSION?! You mean…all the times you decided not to fight, it was so you could become a simple _fortune-teller_?!"

"I guess I'm not surprised by your lack of understanding, brother," Mercurymon said with a sigh. "As you know very well, I am not a simple fortune-teller; I am a divine oracle. We get our messages from God; we learn early on of our…special abilities. Once we become aware of them, we are forbidden from fighting. We are supposed to remain neutral in all things, lest we lose our powers."

"Mercurymon, do you understand what's going on right now?! We only have a few more days before the remaining Death Generals invade the human world! This is a hell of a lot more important than your little visions! This is about saving the lives of thousands, millions perhaps! Please, brother, reconsider! Many innocent lives could be saved if you decide to help us!"

"…No. I cannot – will not help you. I'm sorry, brother, but I –"

"Say no more, Mercurymon. Just get out of my sight, you worthless craven. The very thought of you disgusts me!"

"Well, it looks like we got somethin' in common, wise guy!" Olegmon's booming voice echoed through his golden ocean just as his ship broke through the surface of the water, Olegmon standing atop the highest mast. "If you despise your brother so, you won't mind if I cut 'im up into small little bits, eh, wise guy?" Olegmon laughed when he saw the look of fear on Wisemon's face. "Don' worry, small fry; I ain't aimin' to cut you up. Yer so small, death'd come way too fast to make the killin' enjoyable! Unless you plan on helpin' yer oh so despised wretch of a brother, I advise ya to stand back, small fry!"

"…Fine. Do as you wish," Wisemon said, shaking his head as he walked away.

"What, ye don't fell like watchin' yer lil' bro get sliced and diced?" Olegmon asked.

"As abhorrent as I find Mercurymon, I find bloodshed to be as equally distasteful."

"Ah, well. Yer loss, I suppose," Olegmon shrugged, turning to face Mercurymon. "Before I kill you, I'd like to ask somethin', if you don't mind."

"About the vision I told you of?" Mercurymon guessed. "The one where I saw your closest friend betraying and killing you?"

"Yeah, that be the one," Olegmon growled.

"I'm afraid that was a lie."

"A _lie_?!"

"Well, to be perfectly fair, at the time I was telling you of your future, I fully believed it to be a detailed and accurate reading of the future. I learned soon after that a Digimon known as Arkadimon had somehow manipulated the vision into one of his choosing. See, it was his plan for you to murder your closest friend in cold blood, thereby turning you into a ruthless killer."

"You expect me to believe that?!" Olegmon shouted.

"I'm afraid it's true; the same happened when a human – one of the Digidestined, the one partnered with a Candlemon – came for a vision of his own! Arkadimon manipulated his vision to make him kill one of his friends!" Mercurymon protested.

"…What the hell kind of mystic seer allows his divine visions to be manipulated by a freak like that Arkadimon?!" Olegmon shouted. "Mercurymon! Tell me where this Arkadimon is! I'm goin' to murder that bastard with my bare hands!"

"I hate to tell you this, but…Arkadimon was murdered by his brother, Astamon, nearly a month ago."

"Y–Yer lyin' to me! You gotta be…right?!"

"I stay neutral in all things. It is my job to interpret the visions I am given and tell them to whoever is bold enough to find me."

"Well, what about right now? Have you got any visions for this moment?" Olegmon snarled when Mercurymon didn't respond. "Fine; if you ain't goin' to tell me anythin', then there isn't any point in keepin' you alive!"

"Tusk Crusher!"

"Lightning Javelin!" Mammothmon and MegaSeadramon emerged from the forest, their partners on their backs, and attacked Olegmon.

"Are you done?" Olegmon asked.

"No way; we're just getting started!" Dalton said as he and Lilac pulled out their keys.

"Viking Vuffet!" Olegmon swung his axes and hacked away at MegaSeadramon and Mammothmon, causing them to turn back into their Rookie levels. "Stay out of my way; this doesn't concern any of you." Olegmon then turned to face Mercurymon once again. "Any last words?"

"The immediate future I see…you will die on this day," Mercurymon replied.

"Dual Tomahawk Boomerang!" Olegmon flung his two axes, but before they could hit Mercurymon, Wisemon jumped in front of him, getting hit by the axes instead. "I told you not to interfere, wise guy!"

"Wisemon…I thought you hated me!" Mercurymon said with shock, kneeling down beside his brother.

"I thought I did too…but when I saw you getting attacked…I just couldn't sit and do nothing…" Wisemon weakly turned his head to face Mercurymon. "You still…piss me off, though…"

"Kinda surprised me a bit, wise guy; I didn't think you had it in you to survive an attack from me, let alone not fade away into nothingness as all dying Digimon do," Olegmon said.

"I'm not…dying?" Wisemon asked, and Olegmon shook his head. "Oh…well, this is going to hurt tomorrow…"

"Unless I kill the both of you now!" Olegmon said, raising his two axes as he approached the two Digimon.

"Mercurymon…run…please, run away! Now!" Wisemon pleaded.

"No." Mercurymon stood up and faced Olegmon.

"No, Merc…don't be a hero!" Wisemon pleaded.

"Time for the both of you to die! Dual Tomahawk Boomerang!"

"Dark Reflection!" both of Olegmon's axes struck the shields on Mercurymon's arms, which reflected the weapons back at Olegmon, which caused him to fall on his back. The two axes kept flying through the air until they hit Olegmon's ship, which was then promptly split cleanly in half, much to Olegmon's horror.

"No, my ship!" Olegmon shouted as he watched the two halves of his ship sink into his golden ocean. "Well, nicely done, Mr. Mystic! You just went and killed those other Digidestined kids!"

"I…what?!" Mercurymon gasped.

"That's right; those other Digidestined who were kind enough to befriend me were waitin' on that ship, waitin' for me to bring their other pals on board with me! And you just went and killed the lot of them! Aw, jeez, I guess I'd better go find them; as long as I'm still breathin', they're still under my control!" Olegmon leaped into the ocean and swam toward the now-foggy horizon, nearly instantly disappearing.

"…Wisemon…what should we do?" Dalton asked.

"Tomoya and the others…are they really dead?" Lilac asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"…I…do not know. We should at least wait for Olegmon to return…" Wisemon replied, unsure of what he had said. "Mercurymon…what should we do? Do you have any visions you'd like to share with us?"

"I'm sorry brother…I am no longer getting any visions," Mercurymon said sadly. "I just attacked Olegmon, remember? I'm supposed to remain neutral, and now that I've done something outside the rules, I am no longer a clairvoyant."

* * *

"Damn it! Where the hell did those kids go?! Did they…really die?" Olegmon asked fearfully, climbing onto a submerged rock near a cove to rest. "I've been searchin' for hours, but still no sign of 'em…" Olegmon's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a colossal Digimon walking through the ocean toward him. "Whoa, is that a…Machinedramon? With someone ridin' on his shoulder?! Wait, that looks like…"

"This is close enough, Machinedramon," Nate said.

"Yeah, I knew it! You're that Digidestined kid Splashmon convinced to join us!" Olegmon said enthusiastically. "So, what're you doin' here? If yer not too busy, could you help me search for–"

"The others are all safe; I saw to it myself," Nate replied.

"Oh, that's good. So, what're you doin' if it ain't necessary to look for 'em?" Olegmon asked.

"Thus always to tyrants," Nate said calmly.

"Huh? What's that mean?" Olegmon asked.

"The time for you to die has come," Machinedramon said. "Look upon my face, for it shall be the last you will ever see. I am the apocalypse of which legend speaks…and I am, once and for all, your executioner! Giga Cannon!" the cannons on Machinedramon's back fired blasts of energy at the Death General, sending him toppling into the ocean, his data disappearing into nothingness as he sank deeper and deeper into his ocean. "Well, Nate? Shall be going now?"

"Yeah…we need to get to Canyon Land and defeat Gravimon as soon as possible," Nate said as Machinedramon turned around, walking in the direction of Gravimon's territory.

* * *

A/N: On a completely unrelated topic, I beat Fire Emblem Awakening last Saturday! One of the best I've ever played!


	63. Beyond the Setting Sun

"Master Gravimon! The Digidestined have arrived!" a Hippogriffomon screeched excitedly as he clumsily flew toward the Death General, who stood atop a cliff, looking at the sunset. "Sir, the Digi–"

"I heard you the first time, fool!" Gravimon snapped. "Now, you're certain that it's the Digidestined who have arrived, aren't you!"

"Yes, sir! The Owryumon you spoke of was seen bringing four humans and four Digimon to the outskirts of your territory, sir."

"_Four_ humans?! There's supposed to be six in all! What happened to the other two?!" Gravimon shouted.

"Many apologies, sir, but it seems that they were all separated during their battle against Olegmon; my scouts informed me that the traitor had Owryumon bring the larger of the two groups to Canyon Land," Hippogriffomon trembled in fear as he spoke to Gravimon, who sighed deeply.

"…The boy with the Candlemon and the girl with the Salamon…are they here in Canyon Land?" Gravimon asked.

"Yes, sir, they are, as are the boy with the Hawkmon and the girl with the Lunamon."

"Master, heed my words!" a Digimon pleaded as he stepped forth from the shadows. "Please, allow me to retrieve the girl as you wish!"

"Are you a fool, Anubismon?!" Gravimon asked. "Those Digidestined just defeated five Death Generals! What makes you think you can just walk up to them and take her away as Zamielmon did?!"

"But…sir, you wish for the girl's capture, do you not?" Anubismon asked. Gravimon snickered as he looked over at Hippogriffomon.

"Fear not, Anubismon; Hippogriffomon will graciously lead his army in an all-out assault on the Digidestined. In the confusion, snatch up the girl, with or without her Digimon. But let me make one thing clear," Gravimon looked Anubismon straight in the eyes. "Do not allow her to die. The same goes for you as well, Hippogriffomon; do not allow the boy partnered to Candlemon to die. Got it?"

"Yes, sir!" Hippogriffomon saluted his general before flying away. _Am I insane?! If I lead the army like he ordered me to, we're almost guaranteed to be completely annihilated!_

* * *

Tomoya's eyes opened slowly, and eventually, he found himself face-to-face with a worried Candlemon. "…Where…are we? Candlemon, how long have we been here?" Tomoya asked.

"I'm not sure, but…Dalton and Lilac are missing," Candlemon replied. "Wisemon's not here, either."

"What?! Where are they?! And…weren't we fighting Olegmon a few minutes ago?"

"I'm not sure what happened, but we somehow arrived in Canyon Land," Candlemon said, looking at the setting sun. "This is Gravimon's territory; the Digimon in his army are said to be all Exalted Beast Digimon, and is most likely the strongest of the Death General's armies in terms of military power. We ought to proceed with caution while we're here."

"That seems to be a sound strategical move," Theo said as he and Hawkmon stood up.

"Theo, are you ok?" Tomoya asked.

"Aside from the fact that I seem to have forgotten how we ended up here, yes," Theo said. "How infuriating! Of all the times for me to have my memory wiped clean, it had to be at a time like this!"

"I do not believe thy memory was simply…wiped clean," Hawkmon remarked. "I seem to vaguely recall standing, looking upon Olegmon's vast ocean. Something happened over there…"

"Don't you remember?" Emerilla suddenly chimed in as she and Lunamon struggled to stand up. "He sang that stupid chant! I can't get the damn thing out of my head!"

"Perchance we have Olegmon to blame for our missing friends?" Hawkmon suggested.

"Ok, now I'm worried," Mia said as she stood up. "Tomoya, I think we should go back to that ocean and try to find them before fighting Gravimon."

"That's a good idea, but…" Tomoya began to say.

"We don't exactly know where we are at the moment," Candlemon finished. "We could get ourselves lost trying to find them, and we don't have time for that."

"Well, whatever you're going to do, hurry up and figure out what it's going to be," Salamon said as her ears perked up. "Gravimon's army is headed this way."

"What? Where are they?!" Tomoya asked.

"They've got us completely surrounded," Salamon replied, looking up toward the sky, which was filled with a large amount of Digimon, which began to fly their way.

"Tomoya, we've got to hide!" Theo shouted.

"Those are just Hippogriffomon, Ultimate level Digimon," Candlemon said. "Hawkmon and I could easily fight off the lot of them in our Mega levels."

"What'll it be, Tomoya? Are we going to fight, or run away? The decision is yours," Emerilla said, earning her a confused look from Tomoya. "Well, you're the one that's wearing the goggles, right? That automatically makes you the leader!"

"Whatever it is that you decide to do, we'll follow along," Lunamon added. Tomoya surveyed the landscape, and then looked at the number of Hippogriffomon in the sky.

"There doesn't seem to be anywhere available to hide…we're pretty much forced to fight!" Tomoya said as he and Theo placed their keys into their locks while Mia and Emerilla pointed their keys at their Digimon.

"Candlemon Warp Digivolve to, Dynasmon! Breath of Wyvern!"

"Hawkmon Warp Digivolve to, Eaglemon! Mystic Break!"

"Lunamon Warp Digivolve to, Crescemon! Ice Archery!"

"Salamon Warp Digivolve to, Angewomon! Heaven's Charm!" The attacks of the four Digimon wiped out a vast majority of the Hippogriffomon.

"Geez, they're stronger than I thought!" the lead Hippogriffomon moaned. "Brothers, spread out! Throw the enemy into disarray if you can!" _Come ON, Anubismon, where are you?! If we wait any longer, we're all going to die!_ Hippogriffomon then caught sight of Anubismon from the corner of his eye. "This is for you, Lord Gravimon!" Hippogriffomon shrieked as he charged at Dynasmon, who swung his massive claws at the approaching Ultimate, killing him instantly, much to the surprise of the other Hippogriffomon.

"N–No way! Our leader…was vanquished?" one of the Hippogriffomon asked in awe.

"Retreat! Everyone, retreat and fall back!" another Hippogriffomon ordered, and soon, the remaining Digimon flew off.

"Well, that certainly could have been a lot more difficult," Dynasmon sighed as he turned back into Candlemon.

"Well, I'm just glad everyone's all right," Tomoya replied.

"Angewomon, is there something wrong?" Theo asked as he observed the Ultimate looking across the landscape.

"Mia…seems to have gone missing," Angewomon said nervously. Tomoya's heart sank as he fell to his knees.

"What, _again_?!" Emerilla snapped.

"How could that have happened? None of the Hippogriffomon came to the ground!" Candlemon shouted.

"It's…all my fault…" Tomoya said, staring at the ground.

"Huh?! What are you talking about?" Emerilla asked.

"If…I had just ordered a retreat like Theo suggested, she wouldn't have–"

"Oh, for the love of…Tomoya, Mia getting captured was not your fault!" Emerilla snapped. "Look around you! There wasn't anywhere you could've had us hide from those Digimon, like you said! You made the right choice, having us fight! So, no more self-doubting, ok?!"

"Yeah…ok. Thank you, Emerilla," Tomoya said, standing up.

"How should we go about trying to locate our missing companion?" Hawkmon asked.

"There's only one place she could've gotten taken to," Tomoya replied as he looked off into the horizon. "Gravimon's lair…that's got to be where she is!"

* * *

"I must commend you, young Mia," Anubismon said as the two arrived at Gravimon's Castle. The sun had set, and the moon was on the horizon. "Most kidnapping victims never cease making high-pitched screams, but you were admirably quiet the entire trip."

"…I…guess I'm just getting used to being kidnapped," Mia replied quietly.

"You've been kidnapped before?!" Anubismon asked. "Oh, that's right, Gravimon told me of your little situation with Zamielmon. Well, if you'll step right this way," Gravimon pointed toward the large door of Gravimon's Castle. "Your…generous host awaits you." Mia slowly walked into the castle while looking down at the floor.

"Back so soon, Anubismon?" Gravimon asked. "Ah, so this is the young lady who was taken by Zamielmon, eh? My, what a little beauty she is! No wonder their leader acts so recklessly when she's endangered!"

"Why am I here?" Mia asked.

"Oh, I'm so glad you asked!" Gravimon exclaimed. "You see, I enjoy testing the theories I come up with, and seeing you being taken by Zamielmon and…that boy's reaction gave me quite the idea. Your leader seems especially fond of you, so I theorized that if you went missing, he wouldn't be able to function properly, and soon, what's left of you Digidestined will soon fall apart!" Mia stared at the Death General as he spoke.

"An ingenious plan, Lord Gravimon!" Anubismon remarked.

"Thank you, thank you! Now, Mia, if you'll please come with me," Gravimon said as he lead Mia through his castle. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you were witness to the…terrible condition Zephyrmon was in while in Splashmon's territory, were you not?" Mia nodded slowly, shuddering slightly at the memory. "Well, you don't have anything to worry about here; you see, I'm a much more gracious host than Splashmon, so you needn't worry about anything bad happening to you, like Zephyrmon." The two then arrived at a door, which Gravimon opened while motioning for Mia to enter. "You'll die long before anything like that happens to you!" Gravimon said with an evil grin, laughing while Mia walked into the dark room. "Oh, and just remember; I'm allowing you to stay alive…for now." Gravimon closed the door behind him as he left, leaving Mia alone in the nearly dark room, with nothing but the moon's light illuminating the room from a small, open window too small for Mia to crawl out from.

"Tomoya…please…don't do anything reckless…" Mia whispered as she looked out the window.

"Is there someone in here?" a voice asked from the dark corner of the room.

"Who said that?!" Mia asked, turning around, trying to find whoever had spoken.

"Whoa, take it easy, I'm not going to hurt you! Gravimon's imprisoned me in here as well…wait, your voice sounds familiar…"

"Are you…a human?" Mia asked, now less frightened. "Your voice…it also sounds familiar…"

The voice laughed. "Am I a human? I suppose I could say that…here, let me step into the light." An adult-sized human stepped out of the shadows and into the moon's light, and Mia gasped when she saw who it was.

"Shibumi?! Is that you?!"


	64. The Last Night of the General

A/N: This story is almost done! I love the way it turned out, and I enjoyed writing it (still do), but all the same, I can't wait for it to be over with, because I've got yet another story planned that will hopefully turn out even better than this one (for the record, I won't be starting on it now for two reasons: one, I'm haven't finished with the storyline yet, and two, I don't want to be writing/uploading two stories at the same time :P)

* * *

"Shibumi, is it really you?!" Mia asked.

"In the flesh, which is a surprise in itself!" Shibumi replied with a laugh.

"But…why are you here? How long have you been here?"

"Well, it all started when Devimon pulled me into the Digital World. He wanted to know how to turn his friend, Deltamon, back from being evil. We spoke for a while until a Digimon called Arkadimon showed up and took me to see his boss…or so I thought. He was planning to use me in his plan to rebel against another Digimon called Astamon, but he never got the chance. Finally, Arkadimon gave me to his friend, Gravimon, in case he was unable to defeat Astamon."

"But…Astamon's already been destroyed, and so has Arkadimon!" Mia protested. "So, why are you still here?"

"If you were Gravimon, would you just let me go so easily? Remember, I was part of the team that created the Digimon, so I've got some pretty valuable information about how they and the world around them function."

"I guess you're right, but…" Mia turned to look at the moon. "I just can't stomach the thought of holding someone prisoner like that. I'm sorry, Shibumi."

"What are you apologizing for?" Shibumi asked.

"I'm sorry you had to get trapped in this room with someone like me who hates violence, or hurting someone in general. I can't even watch when my own Digimon attacks. It would've been better if someone like Emerilla had been captured; knowing her, she'd probably attack Gravimon herself, or die trying."

"Disliking violence is nothing to apologize for," Shibumi said. "The world – actually, both worlds – need more people who think like that."

"I guess so…anyway, how do we get out of here?" Mia asked.

"We wait."

"Your friends know you're here, don't they? We just wait for them to come here and free us so we can defeat Gravimon," Shibumi replied.

* * *

"Tomoya, are you sure this is a good idea?" Theo asked.

"Not a doubt in my mind," Tomoya replied as he looked up at Gravimon's Castle.

"Look, I know you want to rescue Mia from that Death General; we all do. But going right through the front door of Gravimon's Castle? This could get us all killed!" Emerilla said.

"Look, if you two don't want to come with me, that's fine; Dynasmon and I will go in alone and fight Gravimon all by ourselves," Tomoya said. "If…you don't want to die for one of my stupid mistakes, that's ok. I understand this is foolishly risky, but I can't just stand still while Mia's in there, because I don't even want to think about what he might be doing to her in there, especially after seeing what Splashmon did to Zephyrmon…"

"All right, enough with the guilt trip! I'm coming with you!" Emerilla said in an annoyed tone of voice.

"I didn't mean to make it sound as if I wouldn't go with you; I was just…surprised that you chose this course of action," Theo said.

"I wouldn't have let you go in alone to find MY partner," Angewomon said.

"The two of us stick together no matter what; never forget that, Tomoya," Dynasmon said.

"Thanks, everyone," Tomoya said.

"Is there anything in particular you'd like us to do in there?" Theo asked. "As the leader of the Digidestined, you have the right to tell us what to do."

"…We have a one-way ticket to the battlefield. If we fail, we can never come back. Which is why there is only one order I can give to you all – don't die! That is all!"

"You got it!" Emerilla shouted as she and Crescemon ran into the castle.

"Hold on a minute, Theo," Tomoya suddenly said before the youngest Digidestined ran off.

"What is it, Tomoya?" Theo asked.

"There is something in particular I'd like for you and Eaglemon to do…"

* * *

"Are they honestly that stupid?! What are they thinking, coming straight into the castle like that?!" Anubismon asked.

"Quite a boon, don't you think?" Gravimon asked with a grin. "Regardless, I'd like for you to move the prisoners to…a safer location while the remnants of my army deal with the Digidestined."

"Yes, sir!" Anubismon saluted before flying away.

"Hippogriffomon army!" Gravimon shouted, and what was left of the Digimon under his control instantly flew before him. "Soon the Digidestined shall arrive in my castle. Deal with them for me, would you?" all the Hippogriffomon saluted before flying away to the entrance of the castle.

* * *

"What's going on? Where are you taking us?" Mia asked.

"Your friends have entered this castle, and a ferocious battle will soon be waged. It's my job to move the two of you to a safer place," Anubismon replied as he grabbed Mia's and Shibumi's arms, yanking them out of the room they were in, practically dragging them down a hallway.

"Kaiser Phoenix!" Eaglemon flew out from a corner and rammed into Anubismon, slamming him into the fall next to him with enough force to shake Gravimon's entire castle, which was sufficient enough to kill the Digimon.

"Mia, are you ok?" Theo asked as he ran up to the girl. "Whoa, is that you, Shibumi?!"

"Hey, it's been a while," Shibumi said.

"Theo, what's going on? Where are the others?" Mia asked.

"Tomoya and Emerilla are fighting Gravimon's army; they sent me, Eaglemon, and Angewomon to find you," Theo replied.

"Angewomon? Angewomon's here?" Mia asked.

"You didn't think I'd stay behind while someone else finds my partner, did you?" Angewomon asked, stepping out from behind the same corner Theo and Eaglemon did.

"Oh, Angewomon, I thought I'd never see you or anyone else ever again when that Digimon had me captured!" Mia exclaimed as she embraced her Digimon.

"What a touching reunion," Gravimon said sarcastically from behind Eaglemon and the others.

"Gravimon, you're going down once and for all! Kaiser Phoenix!"

"High Gravity Pressure!" Gravimon extended his arms and clasped his hands around Eaglemon. He then separated his hands and dropped an unconscious Hawkmon to the ground. "You see? This is what happens when you pick a fight with the Death Generals!"

"Man, all those Hippogriffomon were easy to fight; I guess it was too much hope to think that Gravimon would also be weak," Dynasmon moaned from behind the Death General. Behind him were Tomoya and Emerilla.

"What, you think you two actually stand a chance against me?" Gravimon said as he looked at Dynasmon and Crescemon.

"It's better to die trying than to live on doing nothing! Dragon's Roar!"

"Ice Archery!" Gravimon ran past Dynasmon's attack, and then grabbed Crescemon's attack midair before running over to the two Digimon.

"Don't say I didn't warn you!" Gravimon laughed as he stabbed the two Digimon in the chest with Crescemon's attack, turning them both back into their Rookie levels.

"Oh no; he defeated them so easily!" Mia said.

"Mia, you know what I'm about to say, don't you?" Angewomon asked.

"No…please, don't!" Mia begged.

"It's like Dynasmon said; it's better to die trying than to live on doing nothing."

"But…he could kill you!"

"I don't have any choice; it is my duty as a Digimon to fight against evil ones like him! Celestial Arrow!"

"Octa Gravity!" one of Gravimon's tentacles fired a purple beam at Angewomon's attack, causing it to crash right into the ground. "High Gravity Pressure!" Gravimon once again extended his arms before clasping his hand around Angewomon.

_No! He's going to kill her! There's nothing I can do about it...Unless…_Mia reached into her pocket and pulled out her lock and key. _This worked for the others; please let it work for me!_ Mia inserted her key into her lock and turned it, resulting in Angewomon becoming enveloped in a bright violet-colored light.

"Angewomon Digivolve to, Magnadramon!"

Another Digivolution to Mega, eh? Well, it makes no difference to me; I could fight an army of you idiots, and turn out unscathed!"

"We'll see about that; Fire Tornado!" Magnadramon spewed a massive flame that became a tornado upon impacting Gravimon, completely enveloping him in the flames. When the flames disappeared, Mia could see that his data had already begun to fade away.

"So…you actually managed to defeat me…never would have guessed!" Gravimon laughed weakly. "No matter…you'll never…make it past Apollomon…" Gravimon turned to look in Candlemon's and Lunamon's direction. "After all…Apollomon…is your…"

Lunamon cringed as Gravimon spoke, fearing his next words, but none came, as the rest of his data disappeared. Lunamon breathed a sigh of relief as she sat down. _They're going to have to find out sometime…especially if we're going to have to fight him next…Apollomon…_

"Mia, are you two ok?!" Tomoya asked as he ran over to Mia and Shibumi.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Shibumi said.

"I haven't been here long enough for Gravimon to do anything to me," Mia said.

"Thank you, Mia," Magnadramon said as she turned back into Salamon. "If you hadn't made me Digivolve when you did, I definitely would have died."

"You're welcome; I'm just glad I was able to help you out for once," Mia said as she picked up Salamon. "And do you know what this means?" Tomoya gave her a blank look. "We have only one more Death General to fight!"

"Unless Olegmon is still alive," Theo reminded her.

"Theo, stop being such a pessimist! I'm trying to look at the bright side of things! After we beat that last Death General, there will be no more left to fight, and we can all live in peace in our world once again!"

"Shibumi, what are you going to do?" Tomoya asked. "Do you want to go back to the other world? There's a portal that should still be open in Dorbickmon's territory."

"Well, I kind of would like to go home, but I think I'll remain here with you to fight that last Death General," Shibumi said. "Who knows? You might be able to find some use for my knowledge of this place!"

"All right, everyone; let's go fight that last Death General!" Tomoya shouted.


	65. Familial Ties

A/N: This chapter has characters from the first eight or so chapters that nobody probably remembers, so refer to those chapters if you don't remember a character.

* * *

"So, this is Bright Land, huh? The territory of the final Death General," Tomoya said as he gazed upon the landscape. They had arrived just as the sun was beginning to rise.

"Lunamon, are you ok? You haven't said anything since Gravimon was defeated," Emerilla said.

"Oh…I'm fine. Just a little nervous, I suppose," Lunamon said absent-mindedly. "We should get going before Apollomon sends his army – trust me; his is the most powerful of the Death General's armies." With that, Lunamon took off, running into Bright Land.

"Lunamon, what are you doing?! Come back!" Emerilla shouted as she and the others chased after Lunamon.

"Oh, great, the Digimon in Apollomon's army are here; get ready to fight, Candlemon!" Tomoya shouted.

"Hold a minute, Tomoya; they all seem to be watching Lunamon run past, but they aren't trying to stop her," Theo noted.

"Apollomon…where are you?" Lunamon gasped frantically, still continuing to run when a giant Digimon jumped in front of her.

"Hello, poppet," the Digimon said calmly, with an amused grin on his face. "Where do you think you're going, this early in the morning?"

"Sethmon, please – I need to see Apollomon," Lunamon replied.

"Lunamon, who is this?" Emerilla said once she and the others finally caught up to Lunamon.

"This is Sethmon – one of the strongest Digimon in Apollomon's army," Lunamon replied.

"I'm afraid _General_ Apollomon doesn't wish to be disturbed by the likes of you," Sethmon said. "You ought to turn around and go to your new home; wouldn't want your pretty little self getting hurt, would you?"

"I don't care what happens to me; I need to see Apollomon – and you can't stop me, Sethmon!"

"You're a fool, poppet; you should have just stayed here! Have you any idea what glories could have been yours if you'd have become a Death General like Apollomon?!" Sethmon inquired.

"Torturing others on account of a bruised ego is not my idea of glory," Lunamon said bitterly. "Stand aside!"

"How dare you insult General Apollomon?! I don't care how close your relation to him is; I will tolerate no insults to him! Tusk Buster!"

"Mugen Hadou!" a pillar of fire erupted from underneath Sethmon before he could attack, making him fall over unconscious. "Apologies for the late arrival, milady; I trust Sethmon left you unharmed?"

"Yes, I'm fine; thanks to you…Marsmon," Lunamon said.

"Lunamon, what is going on here? Who is that?" Emerilla asked.

"This is Marsmon, Apollomon's closest friend," Lunamon replied. "Marsmon, please; I need to speak with Apollomon."

"It is true that Apollomon does not wish to be disturbed, milady, but if you wish to see him…well, you know I can't stop you," Marsmon said. "He's just over that hill over there – I was with him when I heard Sethmon talking as loud as ever. I just couldn't stand and watch you get hurt."

"Thank you, Marsmon," Lunamon said as she walked past the Digimon.

"Is this your human partner?" Marsmon asked, looking at Emerilla.

"Yes, she is; they're all my friends. Is it all right if they come with me?"

"I've no objections," Marsmon replied as Tomoya and the others followed Lunamon up the hill Marsmon pointed to until they saw the back of a tall Digimon clad in orange armor.

"Apollomon!" Lunamon shouted, and the Digimon turned around.

"Lunamon…is that you?" Apollomon asked. Lunamon ran over to Apollomon, who bent down and held out his hand, which Lunamon jumped into. "I'm…so glad you're unharmed…Lunamon…I'm sorry. It's because of me that you left, isn't it? Because of all the Death Generals…"

"You don't need to apologize, Apollomon; you only joined them because you wanted to protect me, right? I could never get mad at you…big brother," Lunamon said, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Big brother?!" Emerilla exclaimed.

"No way!" Tomoya shouted.

"You mean, all this time…Lunamon was the little sister of a Death General?!" Theo asked. Lunamon nodded.

"I'm sorry I never told any of you…I was afraid that…if I did, you would all hate me, or not trust me," Lunamon replied.

* * *

"I do not believe they're in Canyon Land anymore," Wisemon said.

"What?! You mean…we walked all this way for nothing?!" Monochromon shouted.

"Monochromon, I don't seem to recall you getting this angry even when you got injured trying to help the Digidestined," Woodmon said with an amused smirk on his face. "Don't tell me that's all changed now!"

"No, I still want to help them all out…I'm just tired, you know?"

"We don't have the luxury of time for exhaustion," Arresterdramon said.

"Yeah, we gotta keep moving if we want to find the other Digidestined! So, no being lazy, got it?" Gumdramon shouted enthusiastically.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!" Monochromon asked. "If you don't think I'm cut out for this, go ahead and say it, and I'll leave!"

"Guys, shut up! It took a long time to find all of you, so I don't want any of you wandering off!" Dalton shouted. "Chuchidarumon, do you have any idea which way they went?"

"Based on the vibrations I feel in the ground…I think they went that way," Chuchidarumon pointed toward the still-rising sun.

"You don't think they're fighting that last Death General, do you?" Lilac asked.

"I'd say it's a pretty safe assumption," Wisemon said. "Mercurymon, do you know what this means?"

"If I don't fight, you'll kick my rusted arse; yes, brother, I'll fight alongside everyone here," Mercurymon said. "It's not as though I have a choice; since I've already fought, I can no longer receive any more visions, so I might as well fight…"


	66. The Whisper of Death

"Apollomon, you said you were a Death General because you wanted to protect Lunamon…What exactly do you mean by that?" Theo asked.

"The Death Generals…were looking for a seventh member; one who was stronger than they were. Unfortunately, they had their eyes on Lunamon," Apollomon said. "As you know, Lunamon's always been the gentle sort, so I knew they would never convince her to join them. That's when…they attacked her – or at least, they tried to. Marsmon and I stepped in to protect her at the last second…it was the last time either of us saw her, until today. The two of us – Marsmon and I, that is – knew that the Death Generals would never stop hunting her down until either she had died or joined them, which is why I offered myself to them. They graciously accepted me, and I've been a Death General ever since. To make sure I would never…slip up, our leader placed a virus inside of me…one that takes over my entire being from time to time, corrupting my very soul, making me do horrible, awful things…things that I will regret to the very end of my days, and things I could not make up for even with death."

"Hold on just a second…you guys have a leader?!" Tomoya exclaimed.

"I'm afraid we do; in order to defeat him once and for all, you…must…" Apollomon suddenly clutched his head in pain. "**Now, now, there's no need for that kind of talk, Apollomon; we were having such a happy life in this territory of ours!**"

"Who are you?!" Lunamon asked, leaping out of Apollomon's hand just as his body turned black.

"**Haven't you been paying attention, silly girl? I'm the virus placed inside Apollomon. My name is Whispered.**"

"Give him back! Give my brother back!" Lunamon demanded.

"I'm afraid he can't do that, poppet," Sethmon said from behind the Digidestined. "With Whispered, the Death Generals have hope yet of victory, even though he's the only General left…"

"**Sethmon, summon the army of Flaremon!**" Whispered shouted.

"You got it!" with that, Sethmon unleashed a mighty roar, and instantly, the Digidestined became surrounded by tall, fiery Digimon. However, a pillar of fire erupted underneath one, instantly killing it.

"**Marsmon, what do you think you're doing?**" Whispered asked.

"I'm afraid…I can no longer offer you my services as a Digimon in your army," Marsmon said.

"You wretched traitor!" Sethmon roared.

"The only traitor here is you, Sethmon, for wishing harm upon Lady Lunamon! Mugen Hadou!" another pillar of flames erupted underneath Sethmon, instantly killing the smaller Digimon.

"**Well, that's quite a shame…he was as into bringing suffering upon others as I was…**" Whispered lamented. "**So, I take it you'd raise your hand to me as well?**"

"You may be a virus controlling my best friend, but I cannot allow any harm to fall upon Lady Lunamon! Corona Sanctions!" Marsmon became enveloped in flames as he hurled himself at Whispered.

"**How sad…you really are a fool, Marsmon,"** Whispered whispered. "**Arrow of Whispered!**" Whispered fired an arrow from the jewel on his right hand, which struck Marsmon in the head, causing him to fall on his back, dying.

"Marsmon, no!" Lunamon cried.

"Do not…cry over me, Lunamon…just defeat…Whispered…" Marsmon's data disappeared.

"**Flaremon army…attack!**" the army of Flaremon raised their hands and prepared to attack when several of them were struck by lightning and instantly killed. "**What?! What the hell just happened?!**"

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt," MegaSeadramon said as he flew down from the skies to join Tomoya and the others. Lilac, Dalton, and Wisemon climbed off his back.

"Dalton, Lilac, Wisemon! You're all ok!" Tomoya exclaimed.

Yeah, sorry we took so long," Dalton said. "We had to…find a few friends of ours."

"Having more allies will not increase your likelihood of claiming victory," one of the Flaremon said.

"Coming THOUGH!" Monochromon roared as he crashed into the Flaremon that had just spoke, instantly killing the Digimon.

"Is that Monochromon?" Emerilla asked.

"Yeah, that's what took us so long; we had to find a few allies to help you fight the last Death General," Dalton said.

"**Flaremon, destroy them all!**" Whispered ordered.

"Sorry, who are you talking to?" Woodmon asked.

"I'm afraid we just finished destroying the remaining Flaremon in your army," Chuchidarumon said.

"**Fools! You may have defeated my army, but you're not stronger than me! Arrow of Whispered!**"

"Dark Reflection!" Whispered's attack went into Mercurymon's mirror before being re-fired back at him.

"**All right, you all forced me to do this! Sun of Lamentation!**"

"Fire Vortex!"

"Prism Gallet!"

"Aerial Attack!" the attacks of Gumdramon, Arresterdramon, and Unimon struck Whispered, making him stop his attack.

"Whispered! Give me back my brother!" Lunamon demanded.

"**I'm afraid I cannot do that; now that I have completely taken over him like this, your brother no longer exists!**" Whispered laughed.

"…Emerilla, make me Digivolve." Emerilla placed her key inside her lock, and Lunamon became enveloped in a blue light. "Lunamon Warp Digivolve to, Dianamon! Crescent Harken!" Dianamon spun and attacked Whispered with her hook.

"**No! This can't be happening! How could I be defeated?!**" Whispered shouted as he completely disappeared, leaving Apollomon on the ground.

"Apollomon!" Dianamon shouted, turning back into Lunamon. "Apollomon, are you ok?! Please, speak to me!"

"Congratulations…you've defeated me…" Apollomon smiled.

"D – Defeated you?! No…no! That can't…why…"

"The only way to destroy him…was to destroy the both of us," Apollomon replied.

"Apollomon, no! Please…don't leave me!" Lunamon cried.

"Don't worry…I will be reborn…as all Digimon are…someday…" Apollomon's data finished disappearing.

"So…all those Death Generals are finally gone, huh? Does that mean we can all go back home now?" Monochromon asked.

"Our work here is done; there is no more threat to the Digital World," Arresterdramon said. "Come, Gumdramon, let's return home.

"Sure thing, dad!" Gumdramon exclaimed. Soon after, all the other non-partner Digimon walked off, leaving only Wisemon and Mercurymon behind.

"Our work is not yet done…we still have one final battle," Lunamon declared.

"I almost forget – their leader! Why didn't you tell them before they left?" Emerilla asked. 

"I didn't want to get them involved in something so dangerous," Lunamon said. "Shibumi, Wisemon, Mercurymon…are you sure you want to continue traveling with us? The next fight is going to be more dangerous than any other so far."

"You're not going to convince me to leave; not after staying with you for the other Death Generals," Wisemon said.

"I have lost my clairvoyant powers. As such, I haven't got anything else to do," Mercurymon said.

"I don't mind; I'd like to see what kind of Digimon ordered those Death Generals around," Shibumi said.

"Hey guys, what is that?" Tomoya said, pointing to a very large tower.

"Obviously, it's some kind of tower," Emerilla said snootily.

"It's so tall, I can't even see the top of it; it goes all the way up into the clouds!" Mia exclaimed.

"Do you think that could be where their leader is?" Tomoya suggested.

"Please don't say what I think you're going to say," Emerilla moaned.

"We've got nothing to lose by going in there; I have a strong feeling that that tower is where the Death General's leader is!"


	67. Stairway to Nowhere

"Theo, how long have we been climbing these stupid twisted stairs in this stupid tower?!" Emerilla asked.

"I'm not sure; probably about ten minutes," Theo replied.

"Tomoya, there doesn't appear to be any end to these stairs. Can we please turn around and go back?" Mia asked.

"Just a little longer…I'm sure there's something in this tower…" Tomoya whispered.

"Ok, screw this place! I'm getting out of here!" Emerilla said, turning around to leave.

"Digidestined! Digidestined, can you hear me?" a voice echoed through the tower.

"That voice…Sanzomon?!" Wisemon gasped.

"Where is her voice coming from?" Theo asked, looking around the tower.

"Digidestined, please, do not lose hope. You are almost at the end of the staircase; however, to reach the top of the tower, you must traverse through a labyrinth," Sanzomon continued.

"A LABYRINTH?!" Emerilla exclaimed. "Please tell me it'll be worth it!"

"…At the top of the tower…is the Digimon who created the Death Generals."

"…So…this really is it, huh? The final battle…" Dalton said.

"I will guide you through the labyrinth, but you must hurry! I know not how much time is left before the Death General's ruler leaves the tower!" Sanzomon said frantically.

"…Can't we just get our Digimon to fly us over the labyrinth?" Emerilla asked as the group continued to walk.

"I'm afraid not – the walls of the labyrinth reach as high as the ceiling. Also, you will not be able to break through the walls, unfortunately," Sanzomon said. The group continued to walk for about two minutes until they came across a pair of large doors.

"Sanzomon, do these doors lead to the labyrinth?" Tomoya asked.

"Yes, they do. Please proceed with caution while in the labyrinth; other Digimon may be lying in wait for you," Sanzomon said as Tomoya and Dalton opened the doors.

"Keep going, and take your first left," Sanzomon said. "Now…"

"Sanzomon, what's wrong? Which way do we go from here?" Theo asked.

"…Someone's coming," Sanzomon whispered, and just then, the wall next to the group collapsed as a tall Digimon walked through.

"I thought you said the walls couldn't be broken through!" Emerilla said.

"I said YOU couldn't break through them," Sanzomon said.

"Who is that?" Dalton asked.

"You don't remember me? Well, now I'm insulted!" the Digimon said.

"That voice," Tomoya gasped. "It can't be…Lt. Colonel…Arkadimon?!"

"Digidestined…I've been looking for you!" Arkadimon growled.

"But…you died! Astamon murdered you using the Yuggoth program! I saw him do it! How could you possibly still be alive?!" Tomoya asked.

"Well, that's one of the many benefits of having a loyal servant like that Phantomon; his selfless act of protection enabled a small portion of my data to remain behind, which would then allow me to be reborn!" Arkadimon said. "Then, with some help from my master, I was able to Digivolve all the way to my Mega level! Now, let's get down to business; Exile Spear!" Arkadimon's arm turned into a spear, which he thrust at Tomoya, who dodged it at the last second.

"Digidestined, keep going! You may not have much time left!" Sanzomon warned.

"What do you mean? Dynasmon could easily beat this guy!" Tomoya said.

"Tomoya, I don't want to fight this guy!" Candlemon yelled as he grabbed Tomoya's arm and ran away from Arkadimon with everyone else.

"Dot Matrix!" Arkadimon fired an invisible blast from his mouth, barely missing the Digidestined as they ran past a corner of the labyrinth. "Run all you like; there is no exit to this accursed labyrinth!" Arkadimon took to the air and began flying after the Digidestined.

"Keep running! I assure you, there is an exit!" Sanzomon said. "Go right!"

"Exile Spear!" Arkadimon's attack crashed into the ground where Shibumi had been moments ago. "Come on, Shibumi, what's the matter? Aren't you happy to see your old friend again?!"

"This next left should take you to the exit!" Sanzomon said. "The exit is just up those stairs over there!" the group ran up the straight stairway, soon emerging outside.

"Hey, how did we end up outside?" Tomoya asked. "And why is there grass on the roof?"

"It's like a meadow up here…look, there's even a tree over there!" Lilac said.

"Why is there a place like this on top of this tower?" Mia asked. "We're surrounded by clouds, so I guess we really are on top of the tower…" Just then, Arkadimon emerged from the staircase.

"Beware, Digidestined; this attack will turn you all into meaningless data! Dot –"

"Immortal Dragon King Blade!" Owryumon suddenly burst through the clouds and struck Arkadimon with his blades, pinning him into the roof of the tower.

"Owryumon! It's been a while!" Tomoya exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I have come…to bring you a few things," Owryumon said, breathing heavily.

"Owryumon, that was uncalled for! Agumon and I are not 'things!'" Nate said as he and his Digimon partner leapt off Owryumon's back.

"Nate?! Is that really you?" Tomoya asked.

"Yeah, uh…sorry I was gone for so long, but I –"

"Nate, you idiot!" Emerilla shouted as she punched him in the face. "What the hell did you think you were doing?!"

"Well, actually, quite a few things," Nate said, rubbing his cheek where Emerilla had punched him as he stood up. "First, when you were all on board Olegmon's ship, and Mercurymon's attack accidentally made it sink, I had Owryumon save all of you from drowning while Agumon and I finished off Olegmon."

"Honestly, though, they wouldn't need saving if Mercurymon had aimed his attack properly," Wisemon said.

"How many times must I apologize for that?!" Mercurymon snapped.

"I was also the one who freed Zephyrmon from Splashmon's prison," Nate continued.

"She's dead now," Mia whispered.

"…Oh. I…I'm sorry I wasn't – didn't do anything more to help her," Nate said quietly.

"What were you doing in that city? Why didn't you come speak to us?" Lilac asked.

"Well, I was pretending to be allied with the Death Generals to try to mess with them," Nate said. "It's like Tomoya's dad said while in Dorbickmon's territory; any surprise attack we could get on them could be a huge advantage. Gravimon was originally going to battle you alongside Splashmon, but I showed him where Zephyrmon was being held, he left to go to his own territory. When he didn't show up in your battle, I guess Splashmon just figured he was abandoned."

"Well, I'm glad you found my words to be inspiring," Takato said as he and Guilmon leapt off Owryumon's back.

"Dad?! What are you doing here?" Tomoya asked.

"Nate came to get us from the human world; he thought you could use Gallantmon's help against the Death Generals!" Guilmon said happily. "Or, at least against their leader."

"Looks as though we've got one final battle together, Guilmon," Takato said.

"This Digimon was strong enough to order around the Death Generals…what kind of Digimon could that possibly be?" Candlemon asked. "Do you think we could really defeat a Digimon that powerful?"

"Ah, don't worry about it, kid; you'll do fine," Devimon said as he flew and landed on top of the tower with Sanzomon on his back.

"Sanzomon! You're safe!" Wisemon exclaimed. "Where have you been all this time?"

"Actually, I was in Splashmon's territory; Nate and Devimon rescued me a few hours ago," Sanzomon said. "And I agree with Devimon; there is nothing to be concerned about. I'm certain you will all fare well in the upcoming battle."

"Oh, what a bunch of garbage!" Arkadimon groaned as he dug himself out of the roof. "There's no way you're going to fight my boss if you can't get past me!"

"Immortal Dragon King Blade!" Owryumon attacked Arkadimon once again, this time killing him.

"What?! No! How could I possibly die again?! Phantomon…where is…Phantomon?!" As soon as Arkadimon's data had disappeared, Owryumon dropped his swords.

"Hey, are you ok?" Nate asked.

"Keeping this form…requires a lot of energy…" Owryumon wheezed. "I'm afraid I must return to my…prior level…"

"I think that would be all right; there aren't any more Death Generals hunting you down," Nate said.

"Very well." Owryumon turned to the other Digidestined. "I apologize for keeping this a secret from you, Digidestined, but if the Death Generals had discovered me…"

"Owryumon…are you really…?" Wisemon began to ask as Owryumon began to glow with the light of Digivolution, but instead shrunk as he turned into his Ultimate level. "I KNEW it! You really WERE Grademon! How could I not have noticed when we were in Dorbickmon's territory?!"

"Grademon…I'm glad to see you again," Sanzomon said happily.

"Hey, are you ok? You look…worn down," Takato noted.

"I'm afraid I haven't quite recovered from that first battle I had with the Death Generals; they came very close to claiming my life," Grademon said. "I'm afraid this was why I never really helped you fight the Death Generals. I apologize for hiding everything from you."

"Hey, don't worry about it; you did everything you could to help us even though you couldn't help is in battle," Theo said.

"Well, my assistance does not end here; I can't abandon you while you fight this Digimon," Grademon said.

"Grademon, you can barely stand!" Sanzomon said.

"Fear not, Sanzomon; I am still capable of fighting…" Grademon said as he collapsed to his knees. "I just…need to rest for a moment."

"No, Grademon! Please…I don't want to see you get hurt!" Sanzomon said.

"**How pathetic…this disgusting display of emotion is exactly why I wish to destroy both the human and digital worlds.**"

"Who said that?!" Tomoya asked.

"**It was none other than me,**" the voice said as the form of a monstrous Digimon appeared before the group.


	68. Until the End of Time

A/N: Well, here it is, everyone; the FINAL chapter for this story. I had a lot of fun writing it, and I hope you all had fun reading it. Without further ado, let us get on with the chapter! Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

"Who said that?!" Tomoya asked.

"**It was none other than me,**" the voice said as the form of a monstrous Digimon appeared before the group. "**My name is Dexmon.**"

"Dexmon…"

"**Does my name not sound familiar? Try to recall that moment when you and your Digimon partner lost control and nearly killed everyone.**"

"You mean…back when I was DexDynasmon?" Candlemon asked.

"**That is precisely what I mean; your corruption, your hatred, all of it was created by me. So were Phelesmon, Arkadimon, Astamon, and the Death Generals. Oh, and I can't forget about Deltamon, can I? It was me who turned him into Kimeramon.**"

"So, that was you?" Devimon asked calmly. "_You're_ the bastard that tore our group apart? _You're_ the one that forced me to murder two of my friends?! And for what?!"

"**As I have already said, I wish to destroy both the human and digital worlds, so I created a few Digimon to do the job for me.**"

"But why?! Why do you want both worlds destroyed?!" Mia asked.

"**Both the humans and the Digimon…they are creatures of emotion. Emotion is a pitiful distraction from the truth, so I seek to eliminate it,**" Dexmon said. "**Enough talk; it is time for your destruction. When I am finished dealing with you Digidestined, nobody will be able to stop me from destroying both worlds!**"

"Like we'd let you! Guilmon, are you ready?!" Takato asked, and his Digimon partner nodded vigorously. "Biomerge, activate!"

"Guilmon Biomerge to, Gallantmon!"

"Candlemon, what say we give my dad a hand in fighting this Digimon?" Tomoya asked as he and the others placed their keys into their locks.

"Candlemon Warp Digivolve to, Dynasmon!"

"You can do it, Dynasmon!" Tomoya shouted.

"Agumon Warp Digivolve to, Machinedramon!"

"Show that bastard who's boss!" Nate shouted.

"Tapirmon Warp Digivolve to, SkullMammothmon!"

"Please…don't get hurt," Lilac said softly.

"Lunamon Warp Digivolve to, Dianamon!"

"Don't you dare die! I won't let you leave your brother all alone!" Emerilla shouted.

"Betamon Warp Digivolve to, Aegisdramon!"

"Hope you don't mind if I kick back for a bit…haven't slept in a while…" Dalton said with a yawn.

"Salamon Warp Digivolve to, Magnadramon!"

"Dexmon cannot be left alive; thousands of innocent humans and Digimon will die if we do," Mia said.

"Hawkmon Warp Digivolve to, Eaglemon!"

"Destroying humans and Digimon simply because emotions get in the way of finding the truth…how illogical!" Theo muttered.

"Is everybody ready?" Gallantmon asked the other Digimon, all of whom nodded. "Stand back, everyone; this could get pretty messy!"

"You don't need to tell me twice," Devimon said.

"Please…allow me to fight alongside you," Grademon said weakly.

"No way; we don't want you dying on us!" Gallantmon said. "Everyone; prepare for battle! Lightning Joust!" Gallantmon's attack struck Dexmon directly in the face, but he didn't even flinch.

"**Come, now; your friend obviously wishes to fight me; why stop him from doing so?**" Dexmon asked as he reached down at Grademon with his claws.

"Kaiser Phoenix!" Eaglemon rammed into Dexmon's arm, moving it away from Grademon.

"Giga Cannon!"

"Fire Tornado!"

"Shine Breaker!" Machinedramon, Magnadramon, and Aegisdramon all attacked Dexmon at once, forcing him back.

"This is for making me fight Beelzemon; Breath of Wyvern!" Dynasmon's attack crashed right into Dexmon.

"Gran Charge!"

"Crescent Harken!" SkullMammothmon and Dianamon leaped up and attacked Dexmon, but he easily swatted them away before they could reach him.

"Kaiser Phoenix!" Eaglemon prepared to attack again, but Dexmon simply flicked him away.

"Eaglemon, are you ok?!" Theo asked.

"I shall be fine," Eaglemon said weakly as he struggled to stand himself up. "This Digimon…is far more powerful than any of the Death Generals…"

"Please…allow me to help you!" Grademon insisted. "I'm sure I can –"

"For the last time, no!" Gallantmon yelled as Dexmon pinned him to the roof of the tower with his right arm. "We don't want you to die!"

"Grademon…please, listen to them," Sanzomon pleaded. "You are very important to me; everyone up here fighting Dexmon is. I couldn't live with the thought of never being able to see any of you again, especially…you."

"Sanzomon, I…I'm sorry…but I need to do this," Grademon said, struggling as he forced himself to stand up.

"Grademon, please…" Sanzomon whispered.

"I'm sorry, Sanzomon, but if this is the price I must pay to protect both worlds, then so be it!" Grademon leapt up and flung himself at Dexmon, who thrust his enormous claw straight into Grademon's abdomen.

"Grademon!" Gallantmon yelled. "Damn it, I told you not to –"

"Dynasmon, absorb my data!" Grademon shouted, and Dynasmon gave him a blank stare. "I am…a carrier of the X-Antibody. If you absorb my data, then you will also be a carrier. Use the strength it gives you…to destroy Dexmon."

"Grademon…you can't be serious!" Dynasmon shouted.

"Absorb my data! Do not let my sacrifice be in vain!" Grademon ordered, and after a moment, Dynasmon shook his head, and Grademon's data went to him. "Sanzomon…I love you…Wisemon…look after her for me, will you?"

"Grademon…" Sanzomon's eyes were filled with tears as the last of Grademon's data was absorbed by Dynasmon.

"Grademon…I promise you; Dexmon will be destroyed! Dynasmon X Evolution, Dynasmon X!" Dynasmon, now Dynasmon X, stood taller than even Dexmon.

"**You beings really are pathetic, aren't you? Even with an X-Antibody, you will not be able to destroy me!**" Dexmon roared.

"Well then, how about we even the odds?" Gallantmon asked. "Gallantmon Mode Change to, Crimson Mode! Crimson Light!" Gallantmon Crimson Mode threw his spear at Dexmon, creating an explosion of light.

"Breath of Wyvern!" Dynasmon X unleashed a stronger looking version of his attack, which then crashed into Dexmon, creating another explosion. When the dust cleared, Dexmon was nowhere to be seen.

"…You…you did it! You really did it!" Tomoya exclaimed.

"It's finally over; now we can go home without having to worry about those Death Generals," Mia sighed.

"**Fools! Did you really think I would go down that easily?!**" Dexmon roared. The top half of his body was floating in the sky, but the other half was missing. "**I realized that I may not be able to destroy you just as you cannot defeat me, so I'll just pull you all into my own private dimension known as Prison Land!**" Dexmon leaped forward, with his arms extended.

"Guys, what are we going to do?! We're not going to be able to escape from him fast enough!" Theo shouted.

"Dynasmon, I'll need some help," Gallantmon Crimson Mode said as he took flight.

"Of course," Dynasmon X said as he followed. "Tomoya, what are you doing? This is dangerous; get off my shoulder!"

"Dynasmon, do you remember what you said to me in Gravimon's territory?" Tomoya asked. "The two of us stick together, no matter what. Never forget that."

"I see…well, it's obvious I won't be able to change your mind," Dynasmon X said as he and Gallantmon Crimson Mode flew toward the upper half of Dexmon's body to push him into Prison Land.

"**You bastards! You won't get rid of me that easily!**" Dexmon grabbed the two Digimon and pulled them into Prison Land with him, the portal to his dimension closing after him. "**Now, we'll all be trapped in here…forever!**"

"Tomoya! Dynasmon!" Mia shouted.

"Wisemon, how can we get them out of there?!" Theo asked.

"I'm afraid…there is no way to get them out," Wisemon said. "Dexmon said that they would all be trapped in there forever, implying that not even he could possibly escape."

* * *

"Tomoya…you shouldn't have followed us in here," Takato said once Gallantmon turned back into Guilmon and him.

"What if we never make it out of here?" Candlemon asked. "I don't see Dexmon anywhere around here…" Tomoya looked around the barren, misty landscape, the cracked ground and the dead trees, and then shrugged.

"Well…we might be trapped in here forever," Tomoya said. "We might be trapped here forever, but it's better than living a life without you, or my father…oh, and Guilmon, too. It's too late for regrets; the only thing left to do is wander around…from now until the end of time."

* * *

A/N: Well, I was going to put pictures I drew of the seven Digidestined up on my DeviantArt, but my scanner wasn't getting the entire picture scanned in, and I don't know how to change it :( If I ever figure it out, I'll be sure to let you all know, if you're interested. Now, I'll really start working on my new story, which I hope you will be looking forward to :)


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